CertainTeed solar panels: The complete review

CertainTeed is a large North American manufacturer of building materials, producing everything from drywall to roofing materials. Established in 1904 as the General Roofing Manufacturing Company, it is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Saint-Gobain SA, a 300-year-old materials company based in Paris. They bring years of experience and understanding in the roofing industry to solar, designing products that both experienced roofers and solar professionals can install. CertainTeed manufactures its solar products, including solar panels and solar roofing tiles, in Vietnam or the United States.

A thorough review of solar panel product specifications is the best way to be confident in your solar investment. Our CertainTeed solar panel review breaks down all the details to help you evaluate how CertainTeed compares to other solar panel brands on the market.

CertainTeed offers the Solstice Series, which includes solar panels, solar shingles, and solar tiles for residential and commercial systems. Here's what you need to know about this series:

Solstice Series

Launched in 2023, CertainTeed's Solstice series includes two solar panels with 400 Watts (W) and 440W outputs and a solar shingle available in 70W. The solar panels are made of half-cut, monocrystalline, n-type photovoltaic solar cells (the building blocks of solar panels). N-type solar cells include two silicon layers designed to reduce heat loss, making the half-cell structure more efficient in producing solar power.

The Solstice solar shingle is CertainTeed's newest addition to its solar roof shingles and tiles. Unlike traditional solar modules, Solstice shingles are designed to blend in with the asphalt shingles used most commonly by roofers. The Solstice shingles should be installed by roofing companies (with the help of an electrician), making it easy to integrate solar into your new roof installation. It's important to note that because of the Solstice shingle's lower output (due in part to its smaller size), you'll need to install more solar shingles to generate the same output as a traditional solar panel system.

There are four key metrics that you should review as you evaluate solar panel quality: efficiency, performance, warranties, and price. EnergySage has reviewed CertainTeed panels for each metric to make your solar decision easier. We've also compared CertainTeed panels against other leading panel manufacturers on the EnergySage Marketplace.

Efficiency

"Solar panel efficiency" refers to how well a solar panel captures sunlight and converts it into usable electricity. In the same conditions, a high-efficiency solar panel will produce more electricity than a lower-efficiency panel of the same size. For this reason, a higher efficiency rating is generally preferable.

The efficiency of your CertainTeed panels or shingles will vary depending on the specific model you choose for your system. Panels and solar roofing in CertainTeed's product line have an efficiency rating between 17.2% and 20.21%. The efficiency of their Solstice panels (ranging from 19.9% to 20.5%) is comparable to the rest of the market. Any panels that have 18% efficiency or higher can be considered "high efficiency." On the EnergySage Marketplace, the highest efficiency panels are SunPower, at 22.8%. CertainTeed solar shingles and tiles fall into the typical range of solar roofing efficiency, usually anywhere from 14% to 18%.

CertainTeed series efficiency

Performance (temperature coefficient)

Temperature coefficient indicates how well your solar panels perform in less-than-ideal conditions. Solar panels, like other electronic equipment, perform better when kept cool (ideally around 25°C/77°F). The temperature coefficient tells you how much your panel's performance will change during hot, sunny summer days.

For every degree above 25°C (77°F), your solar panel's electricity production will decrease by its temperature coefficient. For example, the temperature coefficient of the CertainTeed Solstice panels (both the 400W and 440W) is 0.35%/°C. This means that if the panel's temperature increases by one degree from 25°C (77°F), its electricity production will decrease by 0.35%; if its temperature rises to 35°C (95°F), electricity production will reduce by 3.5%.

Your solar panels will likely see more than a few hot and sunny days each year, so ideally, they will have the lowest temperature coefficient possible. CertainTeed's solar products have temperature coefficients between -0.35 and -0.45.

CertainTeed series temperature coefficient

Warranties

Whether you're buying a TV, a car, or solar panels, the manufacturer should stand behind their product with a strong warranty. A solar panel's materials warranty (sometimes referred to as the product or equipment warranty) is a guarantee from the manufacturer that they will replace your panel if it fails due to manufacturing defects or environmental issues.

CertainTeed offers a comprehensive 25-year warranty on all of its solar products. This warranty covers both the panels, inverters (25 years for microinverters, 25 years for optimizers, 12 years for optimized inverters, and 10 years for string inverters), racking equipment, and your roof's asphalt shingles.

The power output warranty guarantees that your CertainTeed panels will still produce at least 85% of their original output by the end of the warranty period of 25 years.

As with most warranties, CertainTeed's product warranty covers degradation of the panel quality from normal wear and tear due to being installed on a roof but does not cover any damage caused by things like extreme weather events or maintenance by workers without the proper certifications. The annual degradation of CertainTeed's solar products cannot exceed 0.54%.

CertainTeed includes an additional unique workmanship warranty, typically only offered by your solar installer. If your CertainTeed solar system is installed by one of their "Silver" installers, your system is eligible for a 15-year workmanship warranty guaranteed by CertainTeed. If it's installed by one of their "Gold" installers, they add an additional ten years, bringing your workmanship warranty from CertainTeed up to 25 years.

For more information, check out our in-depth review of CertainTeed's warranty and our guide to comparing solar panel warranties of the top brands on the market.

For many homeowners, the final decision around the solar power equipment they choose rests on cost. The total price you'll pay for a solar energy system with CertainTeed panels will vary depending on the other equipment (such as inverters and mounts) used in the installation and the characteristics of your roof.

To identify the range of prices for CertainTeed systems, we analyzed quotes that homeowners received from installers on the EnergySage Marketplace that included CertainTeed home solar equipment. Most CertainTeed systems are typically priced between $2.54 and $3.28 per watt – fairly average for residential solar panels quoted on the EnergySage Marketplace.

This means that, for a 6 kW system, your gross cost (before subtracting any tax credits or other incentives) would be anywhere from $15,240 to $19,680 – this is the highest average price range we see on the EnergySage Marketplace. As a point of comparison, the cost of a 6 kW system from Tesla ranges from $18,180 to $20,100. But, most homeowners pay much less than the total gross cost; there are plenty of solar incentives and rebates to help you reduce upfront costs, including the 30% federal tax credit for solar, which lowers the cost range of a CertainTeed solar panel system to $10,668 to $13,776.

As with any product that is such a significant investment, CertainTeed solar panels, shingles, and tiles have advantages and disadvantages to keep in mind before purchasing a solar panel installation. Whether your primary motivation for switching to solar is powering your home with clean energy or lowering your electric bills, weighing your options is important.

Pros of CertainTeed solar panels, shingles, and tiles

• Comprehensive panel warranty: CertainTeed's extremely comprehensive warranty offering covers all aspects of the installation, including workmanship, if a certified installer installs them.

• Reliability: Solar equipment from CertainTeed is backed by an over 100-year-old company (Saint-Gobain), as well as CertainTeed's extensive experience in the building industry.

• Aesthetics: CertainTeed's solar shingles and tiles are an excellent choice for anyone concerned about how solar panels will appear on their roof, as both options are designed to blend in with traditional roofing materials. CertainTeed's years of experience in roof installation and materials development gives them a leg up when creating reliable and aesthetically pleasing solar roofing materials.

Cons of CertainTeed solar panels, shingles, and tiles

• Efficiency: CertainTeed panels are not a standout in the market when it comes to efficiency, so if that is your main concern, you should consider exploring the other options.

• Temperature coefficient: CertainTeed's panels are average when it comes to temperature coefficient, which can impact your solar equipment's lifespan and power production over time.

The best way to determine whether CertainTeed offers the best solar panels for your home is to review multiple quotes with different solar equipment options before deciding. When you compare your options on the EnergySage Marketplace, you'll find the right combination of price and quality that meets your needs.

Many of our qualified, vetted solar installers offer CertainTeed in their quotes to EnergySage users. When registering, note in your profile that you're interested in receiving quotes that include CertainTeed panels for your home.