Texas Solar Outfitters
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Author: Kaitlyn Short
Texas Solar Outfitters has provided solar design, installation, and maintenance services in the greater Houston, Texas area for over a decade. The company claims to be the oldest solar installer within Houston city limits and has completed hundreds of solar projects since its founding.
The leadership team at Texas Solar Outfitters is headed by Stewart Masterson, an expert in the energy field. Back in 2007, Masterson founded his own energy brokerage and consulting company, kiloWatt Partners, and is a member of the multi-chapter CAI. Masterson, intrigued by renewable and solar energy advancements, decided to leverage his industry knowledge and acquired Texas Solar Outfitters.
With a system installed by Texas Solar Outfitters, clients can expect more predictable and affordable utility bills without worrying about power outages and rising energy costs. Texas has more than enough sunny days to ensure that clean power can be generated in abundance.
Top Ranked Companies
The Good
- Generator and Battery Backup Solutions
- Service Department
- Experience and Certification
- Equipment Partners
Generator and Battery Backup Solutions
Most solar installation companies offer traditional PV solar system installation on both residential and commercial properties. While Texas Solar Outfitters provides these expected services, the company also provides full-home generator and battery backup solutions to its clients. By having a generator or battery backup attached to the solar system installed, clients are better protected from power outages and shortages.
- Full-Home Generators — Texas Solar Outfitters installs Generac generators. The company is a certified Generac installer and these systems provide the typical power substitute solution in the event of an outage. These can be added to an installed system or installed separately.
- Battery Backup — Texas Solar Outfitters is able to install Enphase, Tesla, and Sonnen solar battery backup and storage solutions. These operate and are integrated alongside the PV solar system. These battery backups allow property owners to be entirely energy-independent.
Unsuspecting inclement weather has been known to wreak havoc on utility providers, subsequently leaving homeowners in a bind. With a generator or solar battery backup installed, Texas Solar Outfitters' clients will not deal with these types of issues.
Service Department
While solar systems are designed to function at a high level for several decades, problems and maintenance issues can arise. Most solar installation companies solely offer solar sales and installation services to clients. Texas Solar Outfitters has gone above and beyond by creating its own service department that is equipped to handle issues that may arise after installation.
Regardless of whether or not Texas Solar Outfitters was responsible for the solar system installation, the company will come out and offer repairs and maintenance services if a system goes down for any reason. The service department with Texas Solar Outfitters provides the following services:
- System troubleshooting service
- System checks/upgrades
- Solar panel cleanings
- Removal and reinstatements following a roof replacement
Many solar clients fail to realize that a solar system will likely outlive the lifespan of the roof. In these instances, Texas Solar Outfitters can particularly be of service, reinstalling the system after the work on the roof is completed.
Experience and Certification
With the cost of solar systems steadily decreasing in the last several years and the focus and popularity of utilizing renewable energy on the rise, solar installation companies have been popping up around the country at an increasingly fast rate.
Texas Solar Outfitters, however, has been offering these services for a long time. There is no solar equipment on the market that the company is not equipped to handle or service. Additionally, Texas Solar Outfitters installers are NABCEP certified, something not all new technicians can say.
Equipment Partners
Since the team at Texas Solar Outfitters is not new to the solar game, the company has developed partnerships and become certified installers of several different solar manufacturers' equipment. These partnerships allow Texas Solar Outfitters clients access a number of brands and technologies, ensuring that each system is catered and custom designed to effectively power the property.
For solar panels, Texas Solar Outfitters is a certified installer of Q. Cells, Solaria, and LG products. These are backed by 25-year equipment warranties. The solar company also installs Chargepoint, Enel X Juicebox, and Wallbox EV chargers ensuring that the electric supply is ready to meet demand. This is particularly important for commercial properties.
The Bad
- Limited Service Area
- Financing Options
- Limited Customer Reviews
Limited Service Area
Most solar installation companies will service the state the company is located in or will pick a select few of the most populated cities to provide installation services. While this is the industry"norm, some solar companies have found a way to expand services into multiple states or regions of the country.
Texas Solar Outfitters is sticking with the more traditional model, only servicing the greater Houston area. This drastically impacts the number of clients that the solar company can service and limits who can have a solar system installed.
Financing Options
Investing in solar is exactly how it sounds - a financial investment. While in the long run, solar can save clients thousands of dollars in utility costs, the upfront fees are substantial. To combat the upfront costs, most solar installation companies offer some sort of lease, PPA, or loan agreement. This allows clients that do not have thousands of dollars on hand to purchase a system to still access the power of solar.
While Texas Solar Outfitters will help clients access incentives and tax breaks offered by the lone star state, the company itself does not offer any sort of financing option to clients who need increased flexibility in order to have the system installed.
Limited Customer Reviews
As of Dec 2022, there are no Texas Solar Outfitters reviews on BestCompany.com. We cannot give a final recommendation on this company until there is more customer information. We recommend using caution and conducting additional research before choosing this solar power company.
The Bottom Line
Texas Solar Outfitters provides both generator and battery backup solutions to clients who want to eliminate problems associated with power outages and/or shortages. The company also employs a fully staffed service department ready to provide maintenance, repairs, and cleaning services. Texas Solar Outfitters is an experienced company, particularly in Houston, and installers are properly certified with the NABCEP. Lastly, Texas Solar Outfitters has high level partnerships with some of the tier-1 solar manufacturers.
While Texas Solar Outfitters is an experienced and well-versed solar installation company, there are limitations to its overall service. For starters, Texas Solar Outfitters only services the greater Houston area, drastically limiting who can use the company for installation purposes.
Additionally, Texas Solar Outfitters does not provide any sort of financing options to clients who cannot generate enough for the upfront costs.
Considering what Texas Solar Outfitters does well and where there are concerns, prospective clients should research the company thoroughly and take advantage of the initial consultation to determine if the company is right for their specific project.
