Shine Solar, founded in 2016 and based in Rogers, Arkansas, provides residential solar installations primarily in Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. Beyond solar, the company offers roofing and duct repair through its subsidiaries, focusing on full-home energy efficiency. Read our review of Shine Solar’s services, its installation process, and how it compares to top solar providers.
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What Type of Solar Panels Does Shine Solar Install?
Shine Solar builds custom solar installations for homeowners in ten states: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Louisiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and South Carolina. However, the company doesn’t disclose which solar panel brands it offers. It does note that it provides battery storage options and is an authorized installer for Enphase, Starz Power, and the Tesla Powerwall. To get more details, you must call customer support or request a free quote through the online form on its website.
What Other Services Does Shine Solar Offer?
Shine Solar offers Shine Roofing services to address roof limitations that may impact solar panel installations. It uses Class 3 Impact Resistant roofing material, which can withstand moderate to severe hail and other weather conditions, providing added durability and protection. Shine Roofing offers nine shingle color options for customization. It provides roof repair services to fix damages and roof replacement for aging roofs, enhancing protection and energy efficiency. This allows homeowners to address roofing needs alongside solar installations.
Shine Solar offers AeroSeal duct sealing, a service that seals leaks in ductwork from the inside to improve HVAC efficiency. This technology helps reduce energy loss, enhance indoor air quality, and optimize system performance, leading to potential energy savings and a more comfortable home environment.
What Warranties and Guarantees Does Shine Solar Offer?
Shine Solar provides comprehensive protection for its customers through five key guarantees:
- Production guarantee: Shine Solar guarantees that your solar panels generate the minimum power output estimated in your original quote for the first 25 years of ownership. If production falls short, the company will add additional panels at no cost to meet the expected energy levels. This guarantee covers the system’s inverter for up to 12 years.
- Roof replacement guarantee: If your roof needs replacing within five years of installation, Shine Solar will remove and reinstall your solar system free of charge to accommodate your new roof.
- Professional workmanship guarantee: This guarantee covers maintenance and repair costs for the first 12 years, protecting customers from workmanship-related issues. Covered repairs include roof leaks, exposed wiring, and installation defects.
- Lifetime monitoring guarantee: Customers receive free lifetime solar system monitoring through Shine Solar’s mobile app. The app provides real-time performance tracking and daily production analytics to help users monitor system efficiency.
- Panel buy-back guarantee: If you decide to upgrade your Shine Solar system, the company will buy back your existing panels at 50% of their original cost. This amount can be a discount for purchasing a new solar array from Shine Solar.
What Are Shine Solar’s Payment Options?
While the company doesn’t directly disclose its solar payment options, it does mention helping homeowners understand the various options for solar ownership, lease, or power purchase agreements (PPAs). The company also advertises “$0 down with Shine Solar,” stating, “Get solar panels on your roof right now for no money down,” indicating that it likely offers financing options that allow homeowners to install solar panels with little to no upfront cost.
Typical Solar Financing Options
You can finance your solar panels in a number of ways:
- Cash purchase: Paying upfront provides the highest long-term savings and immediate access to incentives like the federal tax credit, state credits, and other rebates.
- Solar loans: You take out a loan to purchase the system, paying it off over time while benefiting from incentives and energy savings.
- Solar leases: A third party owns the system, and you pay a fixed monthly fee for access to solar energy.
- Power purchase agreements (PPAs): You pay for the electricity the system generates at a predetermined rate, often lower than utility prices.
Cash purchases provide the fastest solar payback period since there are no interest payments, followed by solar loans, which still allow homeowners to take advantage of tax incentives. In contrast, leases and PPAs extend or eliminate the payback period since the homeowner doesn’t own the system or qualify for financial incentives.
How Does a Shine Solar Installation Work?
Shine Solar follows a five-step installation process during its residential solar panel construction. Each step relieves the homeowner of the burden of preparing for a solar energy system and puts it in the hands of Shine Solar.
Installation Process
- Survey: After completing a solar savings report, Shine Solar will discuss the solar options available to you. To ensure that their energy proposal is viable, the company will complete an in-home survey to determine if your roof and energy consumption are compatible with solar energy.
- Permitting: Shine Solar will pull the necessary permits based on your local requirements, making sure everything is squared away before installation.
- Installation: During the installation process, which takes around two days, Shine Solar installs your solar panels and connects them to your current electrical system.
- Inspection: Before you can harness energy with your solar panels, Shine Solar will schedule a required inspection to ensure the installation follows local code requirements.
- Interconnection: During interconnection, a representative from your utility company will connect your system to the electrical grid, completing the installation process.
What Do Shine Solar Customers Think?
Shine Solar is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and holds an A+ rating with the organization.
Here’s a sample of the company’s customer reviews:
Positive Reviews
“Great company to work with! Very knowledgeable, professional and friendly staff. They explain every step, in detail, along the way. I now have the solar array I’ve been wanting for a long time.” – Christopher C. via BBB
“Shine Solar has been a wonderful experience all the way through the process of sales, design and installation. Their people are very knowledgeable and always helpful in response to any questions. Their installers were professional and left behind an excellent piece of work. Shine Solar did all the coordination with our power company. They have an fantastic App we use to monitor the performance of the system. You can’t go wrong with this company.” – Jim L. via BBB
“After working with three other solar companies I was skeptical of solar companies until I finally met with Shine. As someone who did their due-diligence and became informed on solar systems and technology I knew when someone was willing to earn my business rather than just make a quick sale. Shines business practices and people were very professional and efficient at every step throughout the process beginning with the sales proposal, to site survey, installation and activation. My system is working great and I’m a happy customer who will recommend Shine to others interested in solar.” – George S. via BBB
Critical Reviews
“Only issue I had was that nobody said anything about the state inspection and that I couldn’t use the system until inspected. The state inspector was only 6 months behind. Other than that, everything was great.” – Aaron M. via BBB
“Great group great job. Took a while to get things going but up and running. Will monitor and see what happens.” – Angel R. via BBB
Compare Shine Solar to Other Solar Providers
| Company | Star Rating | BBB Rating | Warranties |
|---|---|---|---|
A+ | |||
A+ | 25-year panels, 10-year workmanship | ||
A+ | 25 years | ||
A+ | 25–30 years | ||
A+ | 25-year panels, 10-year workmanship |
Is Shine Solar a Good Choice for Solar Panel Installation?
If you’re considering a reliable solar panel installer, Shine Solar could be a strong option for your home. The company provides some of the most comprehensive protection in the industry, with detailed installation processes and extensive solar guarantees that give customers added peace of mind.
While Shine Solar does not provide online financing details, it offers solid installation warranties and allows customers to monitor their system remotely.
Before making a decision, we recommend getting quotes from multiple solar companies to compare pricing, services, and warranty coverage.
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FAQs About Shine Solar
How long does solar panel installation take?
After the necessary analysis and paperwork is complete, Shine Solar can typically install your solar panel system within a day. This includes installation of the panels, inverters, and necessary electrical wiring.
Will the weight of the solar panels affect my roof?
Most roofs can handle the weight of solar panels, which typically add about 2–4 pounds per square foot. A structural assessment can confirm if reinforcements are needed.
Do I need a solar battery?
A solar battery is optional but useful if you want backup power during outages or to store excess energy for nighttime use. If your utility offers net metering, you may not need one.
Our Rating Methodology
We are committed to providing comprehensive and unbiased reviews to our readers. After over a thousand hours of research on solar companies, interviews with experts, and common customer needs, we’ve created a detailed rating system for solar providers based on six factors:
- Solar equipment, installation, and services (25%)
- Warranty and performance guarantees (25%)
- Brand reputation and certifications (15%)
- Financing options (15%)
- Experience (10%)
- Availability (10%)
Total scores are divided by 20 for a final 5-point rating scale.
