Photo voltaic panels on a roof in Utah, one of many 13 states the place Lumio operates.
Enthusiastic about selecting Lumio to put in your photo voltaic panels? Crucial factor to know is that it is one in all a number of main photo voltaic firms to face important monetary problem just lately.
In September, Lumio filed for Chapter 11 chapter. The method is anticipated to take two months and the corporate will proceed working usually within the interim. When the method is accomplished, this will likely end in important modifications to choices and providers.
Photo voltaic panels in your roof can cut back your power payments and, paired with a battery, can preserve your energy on throughout an outage. For those who’re pondering of including photo voltaic panels to your property, crucial resolution you need to make is choosing the proper photo voltaic installer.
What units photo voltaic firms aside? Most individuals will be capable to declare the federal photo voltaic tax credit score and native incentives no matter their installer. Different components — together with customer support, gear choices, warranties, further providers like roofing, your private interactions with the corporate and what occurs if it goes out of enterprise — will range. In Lumio’s case, it should not have an effect on the corporate’s ongoing operations within the interim, however it might end in modifications in a while after restructuring. You may wish to perceive these variables and extra earlier than selecting an installer.
Based in 2021, Lumio is an installer working in 16 states. The corporate emphasizes buyer care and a customized strategy that may embody further providers like placing down a brand new roof earlier than overlaying it in panels meant to remain there for 1 / 4 century or longer. One in all its targets can also be to decentralize energy with installers who’re extra aware of your metropolis and utility firm.
In September 2024, we contacted Lumio’s CEO and press consultant to schedule an interview, however they declined to talk with CNET, so we could not collect all the knowledge obligatory to attain it towards different firms. This is what we discovered from our personal analysis.
What do I get from Lumio?
Lumio provides residential photo voltaic installations for buy and lease in addition to energy buy agreements, in response to its web site. This consists of photo voltaic system set up, photo voltaic batteries, EV chargers, roofing repairs and upgrades, and tree elimination. It controls your complete course of, from allowing to operation, and negotiates with companions for decrease prices. It additionally works with prospects to safe one in all a number of financing choices.
Lumio additionally provides an non-obligatory reroofing service for householders with older roofs that will must be redone through the lifespan of a photo voltaic system in addition to tree elimination. Nonetheless, Lumio’s providers can range by state, so it is sensible to get in touch with an area consultant to get correct info and quotes.
What photo voltaic gear does Lumio set up?
Lumio solely installs all-black, 60-cell, 5-foot by 3-foot panels. The panels look sleeker than conventional blue silicon crystal panels, however there’s some debate within the trade about which know-how is extra environment friendly. The monocrystalline construction of black panels has been discovered to provide electrical energy extra effectively than the polycrystalline construction of blue cells, however black panels additionally take up extra warmth, which might cut back effectivity. In keeping with Lumio, black panels additionally occupy much less house and have an extended lifespan.
Lumio says it sources panels from firms that “function ethically” with out providing any particular names.
In February, Lumio introduced a partnership with Enphase to supply its EV chargers, batteries, and microinverters in residential photo voltaic installations. As of September 2024, the standing of this partnership is unclear.
What warranties does Lumio provide?
Lumio depends on producers’ warranties of 25 years for photo voltaic panels and inverters and a 10-year guarantee for batteries, that are primarily the trade normal. Usually, because of this panels are assured to provide at the least 80% of their unique manufacturing ranges for 1 / 4 century, although main warranties peg manufacturing at 92% after that point.
Watch this: Find out how to Method Dwelling Batteries if the New 30% Tax Credit score Has Your Consideration
Lumio additionally ensures its workmanship on the set up for 10 years, that means in case your roof leaks from the place the panels have been put in at any level within the first decade, the corporate ought to be compelled to repair that.
Does Lumio provide monitoring providers?
The Lumio HX app was once obtainable on the Apple and Google app shops, however each have been eliminated as of September 2024. When it was final seen, the Android model of the app didn’t have any critiques, whereas the Apple app had a five-star ranking primarily based on simply two critiques. When it was useful, the app primarily monitored progress by means of the allowing and set up course of however it was additionally meant to observe the power manufacturing of the system as soon as put in. It is unclear if Lumio plans to switch the apps with a brand new service or if it has discontinued monitoring totally.
Does Lumio use subcontractors?
Lumio makes use of all in-house, licensed worker installers. Technicians ought to present up in Lumio-branded vans and uniforms to complete a full set up in a single eight-hour workday normally.
We contemplate the usage of W-2 staff a bonus as a result of it reduces the potential for complications in coordinating between your photo voltaic firm and subcontractors.
How a lot do Lumio panels price?
Like most firms, Lumio doesn’t provide particulars about pricing or if it provides a value match.
What we are able to say is that knowledge from consulting agency Wooden Mackenzie for the second half of 2023 put the typical price-per-watt of a photo voltaic set up within the US at $3.30 per watt, which is roughly in the midst of different respected estimates.
This quantity can range fairly a bit, relying on the native market and a home-owner’s particular wants. The black panels that Lumio installs may additionally price a bit greater than blue panels, though that distinction turns into extra negligible on a regular basis.
What financing choices does Lumio provide?
Lumio works with a variety of financing choices, together with house fairness strains of credit score or loans, typical photo voltaic loans, photo voltaic leases, mortgages, refinances, money, secured and unsecured private loans, and energy buy agreements.
The corporate could not provide all these choices itself however might help level prospects in the suitable route to safe the financing they want.
Does Lumio function in my state? How do I order?
Lumio operates in 16 states, with two extra coming quickly, although this can be delayed as a consequence of Lumio’s current chapter.
States the place Lumio operates
Lumio used to supply a 3D modeling software on its web site that might ask you a couple of primary questions and pull up a satellite tv for pc picture of your property. The app would supply a mannequin and value estimate for a photo voltaic system. It is useful to start to ascertain a baseline for what to anticipate. This service not appears to be obtainable.
To get a quote, you have to now enter your full title, e-mail, telephone quantity and ZIP code, then watch for a Lumio consultant to contact you. To Lumio’s credit score, info for New Jersey resulted in an outreach name, e-mail and textual content the identical day from an organization consultant to stroll me by means of the method.
The course of begins with a quick telephone name or face-to-face dialog with a photo voltaic guide to evaluate a quote, power manufacturing estimate and generate a personalized design. As soon as the plan is finalized and a contract is signed, the following step is to finish the financing course of, if relevant. As soon as that is accepted, the corporate strikes on to allowing the system with native governments, householders associations and web metering settlement is signed and submitted, which Lumio will deal with by itself.
As soon as each workplace is glad and the set up is absolutely approved, the corporate will attain out to schedule a date to really put panels in your roof. Usually, set up is finished in a single eight-hour workday. It may be turned on after an inspection, a utility evaluate interconnection software is signed and submitted, and permission to function is granted from the native utility or different authorities, which might take as much as 4 weeks.
Lumio critiques: What are prospects saying?
Lumio has an A-plus ranking and is accredited with the Higher Enterprise Bureau, with a rating of three.06 out of a doable 5 stars. We do not place a lot weight on on-line critiques, however it’s value noting that the corporate takes its on-line popularity critically and has an honest monitor document of addressing points. Lumio has responded to most critiques on the Higher Enterprise Bureau’s web site.
5-star Lumio critiques
“The entire course of was seamless, undoubtedly saving cash and the corporate representatives and customer support have been nice!” — Deborah Z, Aug. 31, 2024
One-star Lumio critiques
“Dont even wish to give the one star. This firm is absolutely the WORST. They promise to guarantee your roof nonetheless you probably have a roof leak they’ll refuse to ship somebody out to see it except you get on the roof and ship them footage. ” — Jessica F, Aug. 27, 2024
Lumio installs all-black panels, like these.
Is Lumio your best option?
We’re unable to attain Lumio as a result of the corporate declined on two events to make a consultant obtainable to reply the questions required for scoring. Remember the fact that CNET doesn’t instantly check any of the gear talked about on this evaluate and has not gone by means of the ordering or set up course of with any photo voltaic firms.
Lumio can also be in flux as a consequence of its Chapter 11 chapter, so whereas present prospects is probably not impacted, when you’re contemplating Lumio sooner or later, chances are you’ll discover important modifications to choices. We hesitate to suggest an organization that’s present process restructuring as your photo voltaic installer.
For those who’re nonetheless , do your due diligence. You should definitely all the time get a number of quotes from installers working in your native market earlier than signing any agreements. Get at the least three to 5 provides earlier than you determine to work with any single installer, however it could not damage to talk to much more set up firm representatives.
Professionals
- Fame for environment friendly set up
- Makes use of worker installers
- The web site has a wealth of knowledge
Cons
- Transparency about pricing might be improved
- Fundamental warranties
- Lumio has filed for Chapter 11 chapter
How we consider photo voltaic firms
Reviewing photo voltaic firms in a hands-on approach is tough. Accounting for all of the variations from mission to mission is inconceivable. To supply a useful evaluate, we centered on what we are able to measure and meaningfully evaluate amongst firms.
We give attention to three buckets of standards: gear, warranties and repair.
Throughout the gear class, firms obtain scores for the panels, inverters and batteries they set up. Warranties embody ensures on the panels, workmanship and weatherization towards leaks. Firms earn factors for service if they provide a value match, a significant stage of value transparency and a well-rated app for monitoring photo voltaic manufacturing. They lose factors if there are main points pertaining to customer support (lawsuits, investigations or clear reputations for shoddy service). These points will all the time be detailed within the evaluate.
You possibly can learn an in depth have a look at how the scoring breaks down.
We do not contemplate the typical value of a photo voltaic firm’s installations of their rating. This info is tough to seek out and arduous to match throughout service areas (and even roof-to-roof). Firms are sometimes sluggish to reveal it, too. We additionally omit simply discovered however not helpful info like what number of states an organization operates in.
Lumio FAQs
What sort of photo voltaic panels does Lumio use?
Lumio solely installs black, monocrystalline photo voltaic panels which have a modern look. The corporate says it sources its panels solely from moral producers.
How lengthy has Lumio been in enterprise?
Lumio was fashioned in 2020 from a merger of 4 regional photo voltaic firms ( Atlantic Key Vitality, Carry Vitality Photo voltaic, Good Vitality At this time and DECA) and one house know-how firm (Unyte Properties).
