Sunrun Solar Review: Installation and Financing (2023)

Sunrun offers solar services to customers looking for sustainable energy solutions that can help them save money and reduce their carbon footprint. Sunrun handles your solar panel installation from start to finish, guiding you from site assessment to utility interconnection. By providing virtual home consultations and customizable solar panel payment agreements, Sunrun makes your path to going green simple.

The This Old House Reviews Team has followed a secret-shopping process with the best solar companies in the United States to determine the best of the best. Read our review of Sunrun’s services, purchasing options, and warranties to decide whether it’s the best solar provider for your home.

Sunrun offers a wide range of protection for solar panel customers, including panel theft protection and free maintenance on its Tesla Powerwall offering. Its extensive product protection and solar offerings make it a solid choice for customers looking for comprehensive warranties.

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Sunrun offers its services in 20 states, plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The solar energy company services Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Sunrun offers a variety of services, including solar panel installation and solar storage. Sunrun installs monocrystalline solar panels from various manufacturers. Monocrystalline panels are the most efficient panels on the market, with an average efficiency rate of 15%–20%. The brand of solar panels you receive will depend on your location.

Solar Storage

Available to new Sunrun customers, Brightbox Home Battery powered by LG allows customers to harness excess solar energy generated by their system and use it when it’s most needed, such as during a power outage. Installed in your garage or outside of your home, Brightbox offers battery storage in a variety of sizes, adapting your home’s energy needs.

The Brightbox Home Battery powers part of the home during an energy shortage, but if customers want a whole-home backup, Sunrun offers the Tesla Powerwall solar battery. This battery holds up to 13.5 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of usable capacity, holding your home over until power is restored.

Sunrun protects its products and services with a 10-year bumper-to-bumper solar system warranty. The warranty includes free equipment replacement and system repairs, including parts and labor. Additionally, the warranty guarantees watertight roof penetrations—a method of mounting your system—for a full decade.

If you’re looking to save money on your electric bill by supplementing your energy needs with solar power, Sunrun offers solar panel purchasing options and installation. The solar company takes care of the entire installation process, so you don’t have to worry about permits or utility companies.

Here’s what you can expect during a typical solar system installation with Sunrun:

1. Site assessment—For your solar panels to harness energy properly, they must be facing the right direction. During the site assessment, Sunrun professionals will determine if your home can support solar energy, as some homes receive too much shade to produce solar energy.
2. Design approval—After the site assessment, Sunrun designs your system to support your home’s exact needs.
3. Permitting—Before installation, the company will take care of city permitting for you.
4. City/county inspection—The city must approve the installation before it’s connected to the electrical grid.
5. Solar installation—Sunrun will install your solar panels within five days of receiving a permit and confirmation from your city or county.
6. Utility interconnection—Sunrun will speak directly with the utility company to establish net metering and connect your system to the grid.
7. Power up—Once the utility company approves the operation, you can start using your system.

Sunrun provides proactive monitoring for BrightSave and Protection Plus products, checking your system’s efficiency and ensuring all parts are in good working order.

Sunrun is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and holds an A+ rating. BBB established this rating by evaluating Sunrun’s interaction with customers and handling of customer complaints. The company has received mixed reviews, with some customers citing positive experiences with sales representatives and others experiencing issues with payments.

Here are a few Sunrun reviews from BBB users:

Sunrun offers five solar plans and service options, including a monthly lease, lease system, power purchase agreement (PPA), purchase system, and monthly loan option. Though Sunrun doesn’t detail each plan online, it offers an outline of what each plan could look like if selected. Compare the five options below:

Rebates

Sunrun does not offer any rebates specific to its brand. However, the company states that it will work with you to determine what tax incentives and rebates are available in your state. It also encourages homeowners to take advantage of the federal solar tax credit. This 30% tax credit applies to the cost of solar panel systems installed through 2032. The rate will drop to 26% starting in 2033.

Despite concerns over customer care and a lack of transparency with payment options on its website, Sunrun offers customizable solar energy solutions that can help you save money in the long run. By taking care of the entire installation process and monitoring your system for you, Sunrun takes the headache out of solar panel ownership.

Compare Sunrun to Other Solar Providers

• SunPower Solar Review
• Momentum Solar Review
• Namaste Solar Review
• Shine Solar Review

• Company name: Sunrun Inc.
• Company type: Public
• CEO: Lynn Jurich
• Years in business: 13
• Address: 595 Market Street, Floor 29, San Francisco, CA 94105-2802
• Phone number: 833-324-5886
• Website: https://www.sunrun.com/

Our Rating Methodology

The This Old House Reviews Team is 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.

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews team at reviews@thisoldhousereviews.com.