Alex Hawkins is a writer for USA TODAY Homefront. He has worked on consumer surveys with over 5,000 homeowners, conducted in-depth interviews with solar and windows industry experts and has experienced ride-alongs with professional window installers. His work has also been featured on This Old House, MarketWatch and Architectural Digest. Alex has a Masters in English language and literature from Texas Tech University but now lives in Knoxville, Tennessee. In his free time, Alex explores the Smoky Mountains or publishes video essays and book reviews on his YouTube channel.
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Momentum Solar has been providing residential solar energy systems for 15 years, but it still has a rather limited service selection compared to other top solar providers of its size. For example, Momentum offers Enpower Smart Switch solar battery installation in select states, which automatically detects power outages and switches on your power source for you, but it doesn’t provide electric vehicle (EV) charger installation.
Momentum’s workmanship warranty is impressive thanks to its long-lasting coverage, but it has no power production guarantee, which would promise a certain level of performance. In addition, its roof-penetration warranty is only for five years.
For this Momentum Solar review, we tapped our in-depth research and methodology, including solar energy expert interviews, a survey of 1,000 home solar customers, and an analysis of Momentum’s warranties and product selection.
We rated Momentum 3.9 out of 5 stars based on our methodology. The company landed below a 4-star rating because it doesn’t use NABCEP-certified installers and has less warranty coverage than other providers. We still find the company a solid option for homeowners in its service area because it has an excellent customer service reputation and quality financing options.
We like that Momentum uses in-house installers. Though it’s common for solar installation companies to use third-party subcontractors for installation, companies that use in-house installers often provide easier scheduling and clear communication about potential installation issues.
Additionally, the company provides in-house financing that works with individual credit and budgets. For instance, Momentum tailors each loan to match your budget and credit rather than offering a one-and-done option that might not align with your financing goals.
One of the best things about Momentum is its focus on keeping service local. The company’s reputable and well-reviewed customer support team will help you obtain local incentives and rebates and make it easier to deal with local utility companies.
According to JD Dillon, chief marketing officer at Tigo Energy, customer support is an overlooked perk, as there are often communication difficulties between solar installation companies and utility providers who are competitive in the marketplace. Having a solar installer that aims to partner and maintain ongoing relationships with utility providers makes permitting and inspections easier for your solar project.
In addition, Momentum’s base warranty coverage is excellent, especially its 25-year labor warranty. Most other providers only offer a 5- or 10-year labor warranty, so you’ll receive more long-term labor support through Momentum.
Momentum keeps its service options simple: In most places, it only offers solar panel installation. The company has a limited service area — including California, Florida, New Jersey, New York and Texas — where it offers solar battery installation. By contrast, competitors such as Sunrun and Blue Raven Solar provide comprehensive service options that include EV charger installation and ongoing protection plans.
Momentum provides less warranty coverage than other companies. Notably, the company doesn’t include a power production guarantee and limits its roof penetration warranty to five years. Other companies provide an average roof penetration warranty of 10 years or more. Other providers also include a production guarantee or performance warranty of roughly 25 years.
When it comes to performance and roof-leak coverage, Momentum is not at the forefront. However, due to its positive reputation and financing options, it scored higher on our methodology than some other providers.
Momentum doesn’t reveal the brand of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels it installs, which is a common practice in the industry. However, according to customer reviews, it has used Qcells and Enphase products in the past.
The company emphasizes using Tier 1 monocrystalline panels, which are currently the best-performing solar panels. Monocrystalline panels have an efficiency range of 15% to 24%, but they are expensive and require complex manufacturing. The term “Tier 1” means the manufacturer must have been producing solar panels for at least five years, regardless of the brand Momentum uses. We like that Momentum makes this distinction for its panels.
According to Will White, a solar application specialist at Fluke Corporation, going with a solar panel manufacturer that hasn’t been in business that long has its pitfalls. White explained that a newer solar panel brand might offer competitive pricing, but doesn’t have as much bankability as more established brands. As a result, customer support and your warranty might be void if that company goes under.
Though Momentum doesn’t disclose what brands it partners with for solar panels, it does share what brands it partners with for its microinverters. The company supplies Enphase Energy microinverters, which convert renewable energy directly at each panel instead of using multiple junction boxes and inverters.
Momentum’s smartphone app assists you in keeping track of your project and provides information about the completed and upcoming installation steps, such as permitting and design. We haven’t encountered many other monitoring apps that integrate with the overall installation, as most focus on post-installation performance.
The app also shares energy production data that informs you of your panels’ most efficient and high-production hours. You can contact customer support through the app via email or phone support. Additionally, you can use the app to schedule appointments and have control over each step of the installation process.
The app features a rating of 2.5 out of 5 stars on both Google Play and Apple App Store. Reviews mention having to enter your username and password every time you log in and long load times, but others highlight that quick access to customer support is a perk.
Momentum has a standardized installation process to custom-build and install solar panels that meet your energy needs. The process involves the following stages:
Momentum also offers solar battery installation in select areas. Momentum offers the Enphase IQ for its battery backup system installation. A solar battery is a device that stores surplus electricity generated by your solar system. It ensures uninterrupted power supply to your home even when the solar panels are not producing electricity. This device also provides electricity during power outages. Moreover, it helps you save money by utilizing an Enpower Smart Switch, automatically detecting a power outage and switching your power source from the grid to your solar battery.
Momentum provides a 25-year warranty for workmanship and equipment. This means that if there are any issues with your equipment due to installation or manufacturing faults, Momentum will fix them for free. However, Momentum does not offer a power performance guarantee. You will not receive compensation if your solar panels produce less energy than expected.
Additionally, there is a five-year warranty for roof penetration, which is comparatively short compared to similar weatherization warranties offered by other sun panel companies.
Our most recent October 2023 survey of 1,000 home solar customers revealed that Momentum customers were quoted an average of $15,380 for their system. According to recent reports published by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, this price falls below the national average for a 6-kilowatt system, which is estimated to be $18,960.
If you buy the entire solar energy system upfront or take out a solar loan, you can receive the federal solar investment tax credit (ITC), a government incentive offered by the U.S. Department of Energy. The IRS offers a Residential Clean Energy Credit to encourage the use of solar power systems.
Per current legislation, solar system owners can deduct some of their qualified solar expenses from their federal income tax returns, which equals up to 30% of the installation cost of their solar energy systems. This means you can reduce your owed federal taxes by this amount, but you don’t receive this amount upfront as cash or credit.
Momentum offers all payment methods for solar financing, but the company discourages power purchase agreements (PPAs) given their low cost-effectiveness, based on our assessment of customer reviews.
Momentum is available in the following states:
Momentum has a favorable customer reputation online. The company has an A+ rating on Better Business Bureau (BBB) with a customer review rating of 3.21 out of 5 stars. We noticed that Momentum is highly communicative and replies to 100% of the reviews on the BBB. This is uncommon in the industry, highlighting that Momentum aims to be helpful.
It does show a 1.9-star rating on its Trustpilot profile, but many of the reviews focus on unwanted sales tactics, such as frequent calls and repeat door-to-door visits, rather than the actual quality of Momentum’s work.
The positive reviews on both platforms mention the company’s fast and efficient installation process and the overall helpfulness of Momentum’s staff and installers. Negative reviews mention trouble fulfilling proposed reimbursements from mishaps and scheduling repairs.
Momentum offers solid solar panel installation services paired with well-regarded customer service. Overall, the company maintains simple offerings, but we like that it limits its service area to make permitting and incentive approval easier for you.
If you want a more robust system with additional components and services, such as roofing upgrades or EV charger installation, consider SunPower or Elevation. The same goes for long-term security around your solar investment, as Momentum’s roof-leak warranty is only five years, and it doesn’t offer a performance guarantee.
We recommend getting at least three solar quotes before signing a contract with an installer. This approach lets you compare costs and offerings and then weigh all options before committing to a solar panel installer.
You benefit most from working with a solar installer that is responsive and transparent and that offers a breadth of service options. We evaluate solar installers on a variety of key factors, including their customer service, breadth of services, consultation process, website experience, panel quality, payment options, financing availability and warranty coverage.
We rate and compare solar installers using our in-depth methodology. Installers are scored out of 100, and we then divide the final score by 20 to get the 5-star rating we include in our reviews.
Apple App Store, BBB, Google Play and Trustpilot information is current as of January 2024.
Editorial note: The name “Homefront” refers to the alliance between USA TODAY and Home Solutions that publishes review, comparison, and informational articles designed to help USA TODAY readers make smarter purchasing and investment decisions about their home. Under the alliance, Homefront provides and publishes research and articles about home service and home improvement topics.
Homefront has an affiliate disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Homefront editorial staff alone (see About Homefront). Homefront adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is believed to be accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
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