Why 2026 Brought New Solar Scams
Spotting solar quote red flags matters more in 2026 than ever. When the 30 percent federal credit ended, honest installers had to sell on true economics, which is harder. Dishonest ones filled the gap with invented programs, vanishing discounts, and lease terms designed to confuse. The industry's legitimate players hate this as much as you do, because every scam call makes the next honest quote harder to trust. This guide teaches you to tell them apart in about ten minutes.
10 Solar Quote Red Flags to Watch For
1. The fake government program
No federal free solar program exists, and the government does not send solar salespeople door to door. Reps claiming your home was selected for a government program are lying. Real programs have names you can verify, like a state rebate or utility incentive, with official websites.
2. Sign today or the price expires
Real quotes are valid for 30 days. Expiring-today discounts, one-time manager approvals, and trucks in your area this week are pressure scripts. An installer confident in their pricing will still be there tomorrow.
3. No price per watt anywhere
Honest quotes state total price and system size, so you can compute dollars per watt yourself. Quotes that bury the system size, quote only monthly payments, or refuse itemization are hiding weak value. Do the division on every quote.
4. The too-good monthly payment
A lease payment far below your current bill with zero down sounds great until you find the 3.5 percent annual escalator compounding for 25 years, or discover it is a 25-year loan at 8 percent APR, not a lease at all. Always ask: what do I pay in year 10, year 20, and in total?
5. Inflated production promises
Divide promised annual kWh by system kW. In most of the US the result should land between 1,200 and 1,700. Promises far above your region's reality inflate the savings math. Ask which weather dataset the estimate uses and get it in writing with a production guarantee.
6. The disappearing federal credit
Any 2026 quote still subtracting a 30 percent federal credit for a purchased system is either using an old template or misleading you. The credit ended December 31, 2025. The only federal value left flows through leased systems via the commercial credit, and it belongs to the system owner, not you.
7. Liens and UCC filings you were not told about
Leased equipment usually carries a UCC-1 fixture filing, which is normal, but it can complicate refinancing or selling if the buyer balks. Some shady contracts add real liens. Ask plainly: will anything be filed against my property, and what happens at sale or refinance? Get the answer in the contract, not just verbally.
8. No license, no insurance, no local presence
Verify the contractor's electrical license with your state board, confirm general liability and workers comp insurance, and prefer companies with a local office that will still exist when you need warranty service in year 12. Storm-chaser outfits that blow through after hail season are a classic source of orphaned systems.
9. Cash-only or wire-transfer demands
Deposits should go on a credit card or to an escrow-like arrangement, never cash or wire to a personal account. Standard progress payments are a small deposit, a payment at equipment delivery, and the balance at permission to operate. Full payment upfront is never acceptable.
10. Verbal promises missing from the contract
If the rep promised a production guarantee, a specific panel model, a roof warranty, or a buyout price, and it is not in the written contract, it does not exist. Read the whole contract. The boring pages are where the expensive surprises live.
How to Compare Quotes Like a Pro
- Normalize to $/watt and $/kWh-year-one. Two numbers let you compare any quotes apples to apples.
- Compare 25-year totals, not monthly payments. Include escalators, loan interest, and inverter replacement around year 12 to 15.
- Check the equipment datasheets. Panel wattage, efficiency, and warranty terms should match the contract exactly.
- Call two references. Ask how the install went, whether the production matches the promise, and how service calls were handled.
- Sleep on it. Every reputable company expects you to. The ones that do not are telling you who they are.
Questions to Ask Before You Sign
- What is my all-in price per watt, and what exactly is itemized in it?
- What annual production do you guarantee in writing, and what happens if the system underproduces?
- Who holds my warranties in year 15 if your company is acquired or closes?
- What is filed against my property, and what is the exact process and cost if I sell or refinance?
- Show me the buyout schedule if this is a lease, and the total 25-year cost with escalators.