Maintenance & repairs

Signs your system needs attention

Most faults show up in your monitoring app before you notice anything else. Things to look for: generation lower than in the same month last year, an app that has stopped updating, an error code or warning light on the inverter, a tripped isolator, a battery that no longer charges or discharges, or electricity bills creeping up for no clear reason.

If you see scorch marks, smell burning or hear crackling from any part of the system, switch it off at the isolators and call us. Don't wait for a routine service.

Inherited systems and installers who have gone

Many people buy a house with solar panels and no paperwork, or find the company that installed their system has stopped trading. We service and repair systems we didn't install.

We start by diagnosing and documenting what you have: the panels, inverter, battery, wiring and protection. Then you get a written condition report covering what works, what needs fixing and what paperwork is missing, with a plain explanation of your options.

Inverter faults and replacement

The inverter, which turns the panels' output into electricity your home can use, is the part most likely to fail. Inverters typically last 10 to 15 years, often less than half the life of the panels.

Before replacing one, we check whether it is still under warranty and handle the claim if it is. If it needs replacing, you can choose a like-for-like unit or a hybrid inverter that lets you add a battery later.

Birds, debris and panel cleaning

Pigeons often nest under solar panels, bringing noise, mess and, over time, damage to cables. If we find nesting, we will tell you and quote for mesh guards around the edge of the array.

On pitched roofs, rain does most of the cleaning. Panels at a low tilt, or near farms, trees or busy roads, can build up enough dirt to reduce output. We check for this during a service and recommend cleaning only when it will make a real difference.

What an annual service includes

A service checks the things that quietly reduce output or cause faults: electrical connections and isolators, inverter and battery firmware, the inverter's fault log, a visual inspection of the panels and fixings, and a comparison of real generation against what the system should be producing.

Every visit ends with a written condition report, so you have a record of the system's health. That is useful for warranty claims, and when you sell the house.

Heat pumps, batteries and other systems

We also service and repair battery storage, EV chargers and air source heat pumps. Heat pumps in particular need an annual service to keep running efficiently, and most manufacturer warranties depend on it.