Sunrun Reviews 2022

Sunrun is a residential solar energy system and home battery storage installer that serves much of the United States. It’s headquartered in San Francisco, California, and has been in business for over 15 years. Sunrun reviews from past customers are somewhat mixed and mention a variety of issues. 

Sunrun residential solar electricity systems include $0 down financing options, such as Sunrun leases and power purchase agreements (PPAs). Therefore, Sunrun is primarily a solar-as-a-service company, and many of its customers enter leases when going solar instead of buying their solar panel equipment. It is one of the largest solar panel installers in the country and offers a variety of home clean energy options.

prosPerks :

  • Has long operating hours, including evenings and Saturdays
  • Operates in many states across the United States
  • Also installs home energy storage batteries and EV chargers
  • Offers $0 down financing options, including solar leases and PPAs
  • Is a preferred EV charger installer for the Ford F150 Lightning pickup
  • Offers Protection Plus when customers purchase a solar panel system
  • Installs a variety of solar equipment including panels, inverters, and batteries
  • Has a Protection Plus optional warranty for 20-year protection

consDrawbacks :

  • May use pushy sales tactics including door-to-door solicitation
  • Mixed consumer reviews
  • Not all solar equipment options are available in every market
  • Provides a 2-year warranty unless extended (purchased solar system)

Disclosure : We may get a commission for quotes accepted by the customers. However, it has no impact on the authenticity of our reviews.

Our Opinion

Sunrun is a large residential solar energy system installer that has somewhat mixed reviews from consumers. They offer different solar financing options for as little as $0 down, including solar leases and power purchase agreements. Thus, Sunrun offers many ways for customers to save money on power bills.

Sunrun uses various solar equipment, but it isn’t all available in every market. However, Sunrun’s customer service reviews are somewhat mixed, which is typical for national solar panel providers and solar companies.

Sunrun Products and Services

Sunrun offers high-quality solar panels from third party manufactures. The company provides the following products and services:

Solar panels

Sunrun doesn’t manufacture its own equipment and sells a variety of solar panels from various manufacturers. However, the selection varies by market.

Sunrun Solar storage

Sunrun offers solar battery storage in many markets, including the Tesla Powerwall 2 and the LG Chem batteries. These are high-capacity solar batteries with ten-year warranties that ensure the battery can hold a certain percentage of its original charge for the warranty period.

TBrightbox Home Battery Powered By LG

LG is a trusted name in appliances and electronics, and its solar power storage is no exception. LG Chem batteries have an excellent reputation for safety, durability, and reliability, making them a smart option for backup power during grid outages.

Tesla Powerwall Battery

The Tesla Powerwall 2 is one of the best-known solar batteries on the market and has a useful capacity of 13.5 kWh. One benefit is that it is an AC-coupled battery. This means it is a good solution when adding a battery to an existing system and not needing to replace the inverter.

Sunrun-Solar-Storage

Other Features

Sunrun products provide features and services that complement its renewable energy systems.

EV Charging

Sunrun offers optimum placement and home electric vehicle charging capacity. Also, Sunrun installs home integration systems for the Ford F150 Lighting, enabling smart home backup from the EV pickup battery.

mySunrun App

This is a portal of useful information related to your home energy use and solar energy production. Here, you can view solar power generation and power bills.

Sunrun State Availability

Sunrun’s service area includes the following states:

Sunrun Warranty

The warranty varies with the ownership model. With PPAs and solar leases, Sunrun is responsible for all needed maintenance and repairs. If you own your solar panels, Sunrun offers a standard two-year warranty. In addition, the components typically come with a longer warranty, but this doesn’t usually include labor. 

However, Sunrun also offers the Protection Plus plan, which protects you for twenty years and is very comprehensive. In addition to covering the equipment and labor, it also provides a roof warranty from leaks from the solar system penetrations and insurance.

Sunrun Cost

The average outright cost of a solar system is between $16,200 and $21,400. The cost of a Sunrun solar system lease, PPA, or purchase varies by the market, system size, and designed solar energy equipment. In addition, battery storage capacity increases the cost considerably.

Want to learn more about a solar system for your home? Get a free quote!

sunrun_cost

Sunrun Payment Options

One advantage of Sunrun is its numerous financing options and ownership models.

Monthly Solar Lease

The Monthly Solar Lease option includes 24/7 system monitoring, maintenance, and insurance for 25 years. Sunrun’s monthly solar lease lets you lock in predictable payments over the long term. In addition, you can add battery storage. However, you would not be eligible for the federal solar tax credit. 

Full Amount Solar Lease

With the Full Amount Solar Lease option, you would pay for the solar lease in one payment instead of monthly payments. However, you would still get many advantages of leasing, such as 24/7 monitoring and solar system maintenance.

Another advantage is that this will mean that new homeowners won’t be obligated to take over lease payments, simplifying home sales. Unfortunately, you would not be able to take advantage of the solar tax credit because you don’t own your solar power system.

Monthly Solar Loan

With the Monthly Solar Loan option, you would own your solar system and make monthly payments for the length of the loan. This means you can claim the solar tax credit if you’re eligible. Once the loan is paid off, you will enjoy years of free solar energy.

Purchase Solar System

The Purchase Solar System option doesn’t involve financing; you merely purchase the system outright. Because you own the solar system, you could take advantage of the federal tax credit if you fulfill the other requirements.

Discounts/Offers

Although Sunrun doesn’t have any national offers, there are a variety of ownership models that fit various budgets. 

Also, if you purchase your solar energy system, you are eligible for the federal solar tax credit if it is on your primary or secondary residence. Unfortunately, if you enter a solar lease or PPA, you are not eligible for the tax credit or most state incentives or utility rebates.

 In addition, many states, local governments, and utility companies offer solar incentives. Refer to the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) for more information.

How does Sunrun’s installation process work?

Sunrun’s residential solar projects follow a 7-step process. It begins with a site survey with a solar technician. Next, they design your home’s solar energy system and start the permitting process. Once the solar panels are installed, a city inspection ensures the system is up to code. Finally, they work with the utility company for interconnection, and the solar power system is turned on.

Sunrun Solar Customer Service

Although many Sunrun solar reviews are very positive, some customer reviews aren’t. The vast majority of customers either give a 5-star review or else 1 star. Common Sunrun complaints include billing issues, slow communication response times, unknowledgeable employees, pushy door-to-door salespeople, and maintenance issues. Because many Sunrun systems involve leases or the Protection Plus plan, customers rely on Sunrun for many years.

Sunrun: Key Details

Sunrun ratings are mixed, and Sunrun corporation has received many 1 and 5-star reviews. However, this is pretty typical of national solar electricity companies. 

  • Durability/Warranty : Varies by the ownership model, offers bumper to bumper coverage with the Protection Plus plan, which includes maintenance, insurance, and 24/7 monitoring
  • USP : $0 down options, extended warranty plans, variety of solar equipment
  • Avg. Installation Cost : Varies by the market, solar system size, and if it includes energy storage batteries
  • Payment Options : Cash or $0 down solar financing
  • Service Types : Solar energy systems, solar systems with battery storage

Company Information

Parent Organisation
-
Sunrun Inc.
subsidiaries
-
Vivant Solar, SnapNrack Inc,
Company Type
-
Publicly traded (NASDAQ: RUN)
Founder
-
Lynn Jurich, Ed Fenster, and Nat Kreamer
CEO
-
Mary Powell
Year of Establishment
-
2007
Years in Business
-
15
Headquarters
-
San Francisco, CA
Customer Service Number
-
1 (855) 478-6786

State Availability - All except Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming

Sunrun: Consumer Ratings

A transition line stating that we have analyzed reviews from the following popular review platforms.

Review Platform No. of Reviews Rating
Yelp 421
2 / 5
BBB 1,624
3.4 / 5
Trust Pilot 28
1.7 / 5
Pissed Consumer 74
1.5 / 5
Site Jabber 1
1 / 5
Solar Reviews 589
1.4 / 5

Although Sunrun does have a lot of 5-star company reviews, there are also many very negative reviews on Sunrun, and some even say to run from Sunrun. Customer complaints often relate to slow response times for communication, pushy door-to-door salespeople, billing issues, extremely long maintenance delays, and unknowledgeable employees. Also, the reviews were higher on the Better Business Bureau website than on Solar Reviews and Yelp.

Our Methodology

We are committed to providing you with a thorough and unbiased review of the company in question. Therefore, we research, compare, and analyze products, services, and consumer reviews. We intend to help you increase your chances of getting the solar panels that suit your exclusive needs through this process. We evaluate providers on the following grounds-

Author

Author :

Sarah Lozanova

Sarah Lozanova is an renewable energy journalist and copywriter and is the author of Humane Home: Easy Steps for Sustainable & Green Living. Her renewable energy experience includes residential and commercial solar energy installations and utility-scale wind farms. She also taught green business classes to graduate students at Unity College and holds an MBA in sustainable management from the Presidio Graduate School.

Sunrun Solar FAQs

Is Sunrun a good idea?

Sunrun is a practical and efficient solution for people looking to save money on their energy bills. Sunrun offers Brightbox solar battery services. Over that, the customers get lithium-ion solar battery storage options, which is beneficial during power shortages.

Who is the most reputable solar panel company?

There are several solar panel companies in the market, but only a few offer the best services. Companies such as SunPower, ADT Solar, Tesla, etc., have decent service records and are some of the top solar panel companies.

Is Sunrun owned by Costco?

No. However, Costco has a partnership program with Sunrun. A cash card worth 10% is offered for the cost of solar equipment when you purchase a solar panel system via the Costco-Sunrun partnership. The benefit only applies if you own the system and not with the PPA program.

Is Sunrun the same as Vivint Solar?

Yes. In 2020, Sunrun acquired Vivint Solar for $3.2 billion.

Can I cancel the Sunrun contract?

The easiest and best time to cancel the contract is before the installation. You may be charged with a penalty or miscellaneous expense. 

Once the installation has happened, you need to write to the company. It may take 30 to 60 days for them to remove the panels. You should read the contract papers and rules thoroughly for better understanding.

Is Sunrun the same as Tesla?

No, Sunrun and Tesla are two different solar companies.

How efficient are Sunrun solar panels?

Sunrun has high-efficiency monocrystalline panels and lithium-ion battery storage. Its panels are manufactured by LONGi and LG, which offer up to 26% efficiency compared to the average panels (15–20%).

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