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Spring 2013

 Spring 2013

This Spring, two of our main competitors have disappeared.

  These companies shared several characteristics;

  • they were notorious low-ballers who would start high & bargain their quote down until it sold,
  • sold systems for cash - to illegally avoid paying taxes, 
  • did mediocre work with products that were functionally OK,

  • offered long installation warranties,(which are worthless now)

  • told people 50% of pool surface was all that was ever needed,

  • claimed or implied that all solar products delivered the same amount of heat, (not at all true)

  • their websites made many claims which weren't true,

  • had been in the solar business for a long time,

  • offered all kinds of references,

  • denigrated the competition & all other solar products,

In short they operated like stereotypical "used car salesmen" by equivocating, exaggerating & lying.

    What they didn't have;

  • Membership in any professional trade associations - such as the Canadian Solar Industries Association (CanSIA) or the Pool & Hot Tub Council of Canada. These associations require their members adhere to a trade code of ethics and behaviour.
  • The owner/operator had no professional accreditation -ie. was not a registered professional engineer or technologist. Professional organizations demand that their members hold to a strenuous code of ethics related to the design work they do. (solar system design is basically engineering) Having a BA in finance doesn't obligate someone be a honourable engineer.
  • Any significant commercial/municipal solar system installation experience. Commercial and municipal solar projects have much higher technical & quality standards and are subject to much more scrutiny before, during and after construction.

The disappearance of these two solar companies should be a lesson to prospective solar system purchasers, that the lowest price is not necessarily the best strategy when you are buying a system that is supposed to last 15 to 20 years - the only one you will ever buy! You want both a very good product AND a reputable company to install it and back it up.

SolarOntario has very good products, does excellent work and stands behind it.