Solar/PV Inspection
Whether you have a commisioned system, or are buying or selling a home with Solar Panels, getting a professional Solar/PV Inspection verifies safety, performance, and value—combining on‑site system checks with data‑driven analysis so you know a solar system’s condition, expected output, and how it affects resale or retrofit decisions.
Why Choose a PV Inspection
Protect your investment — confirm the system is operating as expected and avoid unexpected replacement costs. Full PV systems should be inspected once every 3-5 years.
Improve safety — catch wiring faults, missing rapid‑shutdown devices, or grounding problems before they become hazards.
Verify production and value — compare modeled or monitored output to expected generation so you know how much energy and savings the system actually delivers.
Noticing lower production or alarms — if you suspect your system is underperforming, request a targeted performance and inverter check.
Support transactions and warranties — provide third‑party documentation buyers, sellers, lenders, and insurers trust.
Plan upgrades and solar sizing — use inspection findings to prioritize repairs, estimate remaining life, and size additional panels or storage accurately.
What the Inspection Includes
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Visual module condition: cracks, delamination, soiling, shading impacts.
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Mounting and structural integrity: racking, flashing, roof penetrations, corrosion.
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Electrical safety: conduit, wiring routing, junction boxes, labeling, disconnects, grounding/bonding.
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Inverter and balance‑of‑system: inverter operation, error logs, rapid shutdown devices, and combiner boxes.
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Performance & production: review of monitoring data and modeled output to confirm expected generation and detect underperformance.
SprkHome Integration
We use SprkHome‑style reporting to make solar data real estate‑ready: interactive energy and solar reports that estimate monthly energy offsets, model different system sizes, and produce valuation‑ready documentation for buyers and sellers. Sprk’s Solar Inspection standard also provides a consistent, third‑party review of system health and remaining life—helpful when transferring solar with a home sale
Who Needs a PV Inspection
A PV inspection is valuable for homeowners, home buyers and sellers and realestate agents who want certainty about a solar system’s condition and performance.
Home Owners — detect degradation, soiling, or component failures early to maximize production and extend system life.
Homebuyers — confirm the installed system is safe, code‑compliant, and producing as represented before you commit.
Home sellers — document system health to increase buyer confidence and support a stronger listing.
Property managers and Realestate Agents — ensure tenant safety and predictable energy performance across managed properties.
Why It Matters
A professional Solar/PV inspection gives you a clear, independent assessment of a system’s safety, performance, and remaining life so you can make informed decisions about buying, selling, maintaining, or upgrading a property. Inspections combine visual checks, electrical safety testing, and production review to identify issues that affect output and value—cracked modules, loose or corroded connections, improper labeling, compromised roof penetrations, inverter faults, and underperformance that monitoring alone may not explain.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a full Solar/PV inspection cover?
A full inspection reviews module condition, racking and roof penetrations, wiring and conduit, disconnects and labeling, grounding/bonding, inverter operation and error logs, and available production data. The goal is to verify safety, identify visible defects, and compare observed performance to expected output.
I’m seeing lower production or inverter alarms — what should I do?
Request a targeted performance and inverter check right away. We’ll review inverter logs and monitoring data, perform on‑site electrical and visual checks, and run basic performance diagnostics to identify whether the issue is a system fault, shading/soiling, inverter settings, or a safety concern that needs immediate attention.
Can a PV inspection tell me how much solar or battery capacity I need?
Yes — inspection findings are a key input for sizing. We use measured or modeled production, roof area and orientation, and your current usage patterns to estimate how much additional panel capacity or battery storage would be required to meet your goals. For final system design and quotes, pair our inspection report with contractor bids and engineered system proposals.
Do inspections guarantee future energy production?
No. Inspections document current condition and use historical or modeled data to estimate production, but future output depends on many variables (weather, degradation, soiling, shading changes). Treat production estimates as planning tools and confirm final performance expectations with installer proposals and warranty terms.
Are there safety or access limitations I should know about?
Yes. PV systems present electrical shock and fall hazards. Inspectors follow strict safety protocols and may decline unsafe roof access, energized work, or situations lacking proper fall protection. When access is restricted, we’ll document what we could inspect and recommend safe alternatives or follow‑up work.
What should I expect after the inspection?
You’ll receive a clear report with annotated photos, safety findings, performance observations, and prioritized recommendations for repairs, maintenance, or upgrades. Use this report to get contractor bids, support warranty or insurance claims, or inform buying/selling decisions.
Buying a home with solar? Get Proof
Don't buy blind on Solar. Get a PV inspection that documents system performance, remaining life, and safety, giving you the facts to negotiate, budget for upgrades, and move forward with confidence.