Solar Energy Solutions reviews

Pam Griffith brought Andrew and his crew in to take down her pool’s solar heating array so a new roof could be installed. She had enjoyed seven years of heating the pool without any hydrocarbon backup, and the team removed the panels, reinstalled them after the roof work, and upgraded the fastenings so everything sits more securely. The job moved on schedule and with attention to detail; Andrew walked her through what he did and why, then left clear care and maintenance instructions. The pool is warming again on solar power, and what stuck with her was the sturdier mounting and the folder of upkeep steps that should keep it working through the next roof cycle.

In 2007 Andy had Solar Energy Solutions install a 2 kilowatt rooftop system on his single-family home, taking advantage of Energy Trust of Oregon incentives. Over the years that small array ended up producing more than 25 megawatts. When they needed a new roof last month, he arranged for the company to remove the panels so the roofers could work — Andrew and his crew showed up just days before the roofing started and took the array down without delay. Once the roofers finished, the crew returned and got the panels back up and producing within the same week. He and his wife especially appreciated Andrew’s attention to detail, flexibility around scheduling, and his habit of arriving exactly when he said he would. The concrete takeaway: minimal downtime during a roof replacement and reliable, punctual service even nearly two decades after the original installation.

Marianne Marks chose Solar Energy Solutions to install a solar hot water system in 2004 and has kept them on call ever since. In 2012 Andrew converted the system’s glycol loop to deionized water and added an expansion tank to prevent future issues. Most recently, in 2022, Andrew replaced a leaking electric hot water tank (not the solar tank) with an AO Smith heat pump unit. Over the years she has relied on the company for both solar-specific maintenance and ordinary plumbing replacements, and she has consistently liked Andrew’s combination of deep knowledge, reliability, clear explanations of the work, and pleasant manner. After nearly two decades of service and upgrades, the detail that stands out is the steady technician—Andrew—who explains what he’ll do and follows through, which is why she keeps calling them.

Erich had Andrew from Solar Energy Solutions install a solar pool heating system on April 2, 2008 for his northwest Oregon home, and fifteen years on the setup still runs flawlessly. He has only needed Solar Energy Solutions twice for maintenance in that whole time, a sign that Andrew’s installation was done right. The panels extended the swimming season by roughly a month on each end—he now keeps the pool at about 85–90°F—and heating the pool has become effectively free because there’s no longer any natural gas bill or pool-heater upkeep. He set an automatic thermostat to cap the temperature so it never gets warmer than he wants, and because the system holds heat so well he stopped buying a thermal pool cover every few years. For him, this turned out to be the most efficient, cost-effective energy upgrade he’s made: fifteen years, two service calls, and a warm pool without fuel costs is the detail that sticks.

Scott discovered that his 12-year-old solar hot water system from Mr. Sun Solar had been losing efficiency: the heat-transfer fluid had become heavily aerated and the pump started to cavitate. He contacted Andrew, who thought the fluid level had dropped and initially suggested Scott add fluid himself. After studying the system layout, he realized topping it up was beyond his skillset and called Andrew back to set an on-site visit. Andrew inspected the system, confirmed the diagnosis, and added two gallons of heat-transfer fluid. The pump stopped cavitating and the system returned to like-new performance. Andrew handled the job professionally and his service represented good value — ultimately, two gallons of fluid fixed a year-long efficiency problem.

Riley chose Solar Energy Solutions to install a residential solar array and brought Andrew and his team in mid‑2017. They ran a careful, data‑driven site assessment that stood out during the selection process — Riley picked them over two other companies that fell short. The design and installation followed that same thorough approach: the crew worked closely with the homeowner, laying out options and the trade‑offs for each choice, and subcontractors treated the work with obvious pride. Financially, Riley found buying or financing the system to be the sensible move, and the installation has delivered — more than three years in, the array has had no problems. The clearest takeaway: a methodical, communicative team produced a thoughtfully engineered system that’s been running flawlessly for years.

Joe H believed in solar and was glad Andrew was offering the service, but the installation led to a major hassle. Not long after the panels went up, a leak developed in the roof. Andrew came by to troubleshoot, spent about half an hour applying caulking, and then wanted $200 for that visit — for a problem that Joe felt the installation had caused. Andrew also pointed out that he had advised annual roof inspections and touch-up caulking when the system was purchased; Joe doesn’t recall that conversation and says he wouldn’t climb a steep roof to do that work himself. When the leak came back, Joe hired roofers to replace the roof. They discovered the real cause: the solar mounts had been fastened through the roof plywood rather than into the rafters, which opened the leak. The clear takeaway from his experience: require your solar installer to coordinate with a licensed roofing contractor and verify that penetrations are secured into structural members, not just the plywood — a costly oversight Joe learned the hard way.

Martin I bought his house about eight years ago and discovered it came with a swimming pool and solar pool-heating panels. Because their daughter was newborn back then, they shut the pool down for eight years; now that she can swim, they revived the pool with a new variable-speed pump and a fresh filter, then turned the solar heater back on — and it started leaking immediately. A business card still stapled to the pool shed belonged to Andrew, so Martin called; Andrew answered quickly and showed up the next day. He hunted down the leaks, sealed them in short order, and revealed he had originally installed the system in 1991 — a 25-year-old solar array still intact. After about an hour and a few hundred dollars, Martin flipped the pump and watched the water temperature climb from 63°F to about 73°F in roughly four hours; that evening the family was swimming. Andrew suggested skipping a $2,500 natural gas heater for now and trying the solar-only season first, then offered a practical upgrade: an automated valve that bypasses the solar panels when they would otherwise cool the pool. He returned the next day, installed that valve, and it now prevents heat loss when the panels aren’t in

Sam keeps an older solar pool heater running himself, but when he discovered a stubborn riser leak near the header he couldn’t plug, he reached out for help. Andrew called right back and walked him through a simple, practical repair — a #10 stainless screw wrapped in Teflon tape. The makeshift fix stopped the leak immediately and saved a service visit. He appreciated the prompt, hands-on solution and plans to call Andrew again when he’s ready to replace his solar panels.