ComplaintsforKasselman Solar, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  12/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Solar installation went active February 2023. One panel underperforms compared to the rest of the array. Kasselmans has checked software and hardware and they have acknowledge that the panel is faulty. The assessment was completed approximately the end of April. I have followed up for 6 months and they have not been willing to give me a date. It took maybe 2 weeks to get all of the equipment needed to install the system but they have not committed to when they are going to execute the warranty repair. I have left messages (phone and email) for the manager to contact me but it has been 2 weeks and they have not.

  

  Business response

  12/20/2023

  Hello ****
  First, I would like to acknowledge the unacceptable delay you have experienced in getting the warranty replacement for the faulty solar module. I would also like to thank you for calling this to our attention so that we may review our current procedures to prevent this from happening again. I have been notified that our service manager has been in contact with you directly and we now have an appointment scheduled for December 28th to replace the faulty solar module. Our service department will be in touch after your scheduled visit to follow up on the outcome of the replacement. Thank you for your continued patience, and I thank you again for bringing this to our attention.

  Sincerely,

  Kasselman Solar

  Allison P***

  Chief Operating Officer

  Customer response

  12/20/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me thus far. The repair is scheduled for next week. 
  Regards,
  ****** ******
  
  
  
  
  

• Initial Complaint

  04/21/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Roof leak where solar panels installed. Company came out and fixed outside leak and sealed up but will not fix damage to ceiling inside 

  

  Business response

  04/21/2023

  To whom this may concern, We have received your notification regarding a complaint filed by Mr. ******** ******** against our company. We take all customer concerns seriously and strive to maintain the highest level of customer satisfaction. Upon receipt of this complaint, we conducted a thorough internal investigation to address the concerns raised. As per our investigation, we have found no records of Mr. ******** in any of our systems. We have searched our customer database, order history, and service records, but could not locate any information related to him. Given this situation, we have reason to believe that this complaint may not be legitimate or could potentially be a case of mistaken identity. To better assist our investigation, could you please confirm whether Mr. ******** might have used a different name, phone number, address, or email for this project? Any additional information you can provide will help us in our efforts to resolve this issue and ensure that we have accurately assessed the situation. We kindly request that the Better Business Bureau provide us with additional information or documentation related to this complaint so we can further investigate the matter. We are committed to resolving any legitimate issues, but we are unable to do so without sufficient evidence or information. We appreciate your assistance in this matter and look forward to your prompt response. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. 

• Initial Complaint

  02/18/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  A few weeks ago in sun-zero weather, our electricity went out. The battery did not get in, which has been an ongoing issue. We took the steps previously given to us by Kasselman. Still, the battery did not kick in. We called. They said they’d make this a priority, and some one would get back to and/or come out the house. Neither happened. They have yet to return our phone call or get back to us. They have completely ghosted us because we have complained in the past about the shoddy deal they gave us, and the ongoing problem with their service.

  

  Business response

  02/22/2023

  Hi ******, I am sorry we somehow missed your contact with us.  Someone from our company has already reached out to you and am under the impression we have a service call scheduled with you as well.  While communicating with your representative, can you let them know how you attempted to contact us?  I cannot see anywhere in our CRM or call logs that you called which is why this is a problem for us as we use a ticketing system within the CRM and track communication as well.  Additionally, we do not want to have clients attempt to contact us and cannot. Also, going forward can you keep our representative's information so you can contact them directly if there is another issue?  You can also call our main line as well at ###-###-####.Thank you for letting us know of this issue as we appreciate this valuable feedback.  David T**********Vice PresidentKasselman Solar 

• Initial Complaint

  01/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Kasselman solar did an installation on my house the is horrible. The roof leaked for 10 months before it was finally fixed. Their installers tore tabs off my shingles for no reason. No other installer follows this practice. Panels were not installed as to original specifications resulting in damage to my front porch.

  

  Business response

  01/26/2023

  Please see our responses to the complaints filed by ****.  It’s unfortunate that it’s gone this far as we have done everything we could to provide good service, as well as verify our work’s legitimacy and accuracy.     1). Kasselman solar did an installation on my house the is horrible. The roof leaked for 10 months before it was finally fixed.  Upon hearing about the roof leak, our crews immediately went out to assess where the leaking was coming from and ultimately fixed the roof. Kasselman Solar has a 10-year roof warranty. It is standard that we honor this warranty by assessing and fixing any leaks as they may occur from our installation. We made multiple visits and fixes to the customer site to address any leaking. We also offered to make visits twice a year to check for any new leaking so that the customer did not have to reach out to us directly. This was a proactive approach to what our warranty technically states:    “KASSELMAN SOLAR MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED with respect to the roof the PV System is being installed on, its life expectancy, condition, or defects. The Roof Warranty provided by KS is only as set forth herein:   All roof penetrations made by KS for your Solar PV System will be watertight. This warranty will run until either of the following events occur (whichever occurs first in time): 1. Ten (10) years from the date of the Solar PV System’s Commissioning; or 2. On the 15th anniversary of the actual roof’s installation. If the roof on which the Solar PV System is being installed is fifteen (15) years or older, the KS Roof Warranty will be in effect for one (1) calendar year from the date of the Solar PV System’s Commissioning and terminate at 11:59 P.M. EST of the 1st Anniversary date. “      2). Their installers tore tabs off my shingles for no reason. No other installer follows this practice.  We understand the customer does not like the way we installed the solar mounts, but we forwarded emails from our manufacturer (attached) directly to **** explaining that this was an acceptable best practice from the manufacturer. We also informed **** that he may contact the manufacturer directly to confirm all of this.    3). Panels were not installed as to original specifications resulting in damage to my front porch.  The customer is referring to his proposed layout before contract signing and the actual engineered layout after site assessment. It’s not uncommon that a change occurs between these two stages.  We sent the final layout to the customer on August 16, 2021 (attached) in which the customer replied in an email, “I approve of this layout.” We have attached the site plan and the third-party structural engineer letter stating that his roof was adequate to support the weight of the solar panels from information gathered onsite during his site assessment. Furthermore, the “damage” the customer is referring to is a crack in the foundation of his porch which was present on July 30, 2022, during the completion of the initial site assessment (before installation). Photos attached showing this.    As a footnote this client has failed to pay his final invoice ($24,000) that is now almost 16 months old. We don’t know what else to do as a company to reasonably satisfy the client and collect our final payment. 

  Customer response

  01/27/2023

   Better Business Bureau:  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.  1)    The initial response of Kasselman Solar to my telling them my roof was leaking was that they  were not responsible for leaky roofs.  My roof was new and did not leak prior to the installation. I was told by the men sent to repair the leaks that outdated procedures were used along with obsolete products. They had to repair leaks from the prior repairs that leaked. This went on for 10 months not resolved til Aug of 2022.   2)   The tabs that were ripped off my new shingles was not necessary. Furthermore the manufacturer states that only with more than 1/8" undulation is this practice necessary. A shingle tab is 1/16" which is less than 1/8" which clearly means that the destruction of my shingle was not only not necessary but clearly negligent action taken upon the installer.  Shingle tabs are of all different thicknesses that is why the 1/8" determination is called out specifically. Kasselman can state whatever they want but it doesn't make it so. I was on the phone for an hour with the owner who would do nothing but conflate different issues to obsfucate the real issue that his crew should have never torn off my shingle tabs. His own men who came to repair the leaks agreed with me that the tabs removered was unnecessary and negligent.  3)  Panel Placement -  I want the panels placed as originally planned. The current placement is overloading my front porch. It is also creating dangerous ice and snow dams that careen to the driveway below creating a potentiality fatal hazard. The project manager who was overseeing this job was fired for cause and anything signed by him is suspect. I can not see any attachments so therefore I can not comment on them. I had no intention of authorizing any change to the placement of the panels.  Claims the the crack was there previously is also in question,again I cannot see the attachments. The only pictures I know that were taken of the damage done to the porch was after I alerted Kasselman of the situation.  Again, the same response as the leaks, no accountability. Denial. Denial. Denial. I want the panels installed to the original site plan. As to their footnote of non payment:  $23,000 has been paid. They just fixed the leaks in august and in october I had a micro inverter replaced, the third one, it does not instill any modicum of confidence. I am still waiting for shingle repair, which they offered a $3,000 discount off final price, I declined. I am also waiting for proper panel placement as per original layout.  Regards,  **** ******

  

  Business response

  02/13/2023

  Please see the attached response sent to the State of New York Office of the Attorney General today.  

• Initial Complaint

  10/27/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  My experience with Kasselman Solar has been horrible. Kasselman installed a solar panel system with two LG batteries on June 29, 2022, but the system was not activated for another 5 weeks (which itself took constant vigilance on my part to convince Kasselman to complete the work I paid for). After being activated, my system still did not work property, and stopped producing power on an intermittent basis. After one of Kasselman’s techs visited my property, they determined the problem to be a component in the battery system ($20,000 of the total price), and said that LG would not be able to replace it for “a few weeks”. That was on August 9. I have followed up regularly with Kasselman to ask about when the battery system would be repaired or replaced. While Kasselman did acknowledge my early messages (without any useful feedback), they have now stopped responding to me entirely. I don’t know if the problem has originated at Kasselman or LG, and I am sure some delays are to be expected given the national and global supply chain problems, but this delay is excessive, and their refusal to keep me informed is not acceptable. I am concerned that they will not fix my system and will try to keep the amount I’ve already paid. This sum of money exceeds the amount that can be taken to small claims court, so BBB is my last recourse before hiring a lawyer, which I would prefer not to do.

  

  Business response

  11/08/2022

  Hi Rick,

   

  We are sorry to hear of these issues and thank you for bringing them to our attention. Customer service is something we prioritize, so we regret failing in this regard after your installation. 

   

  Our direct line is monitored closely, so if you give us a call, someone will get back to you within 24-48 hours. The number to call is ###-###-####. As of 11/8, we are waiting on LG for a backup interface for you and our customer service team has reached out to you about this. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do to help.

   

  Once again, we are sorry for the post-install problem. Thank you for choosing Kasselman Solar. 

• Initial Complaint

  08/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I contract with Kasselman to install solar in January 2019. The contract was for a 14,970 kWh system, which the estimate stated was 121% of our annual electric needs. After contacting our energy provider--NYSEG--and finding out that our annual energy consumption was 58,000 kWh annually, I emailed the Lead PV Design Engineer/Sales Consultant on 1/18/19. He responded, "A house of your size even with electric heat I would find nearly impossible to be using 58,000 kWh/yr." Despite the assurance that the solar we installed would cover 121% of our needs, it covers only about 50%. In 2021, we installed a battery, which in an email on 3/19/20 the Sales Consultant said would cost $8,750.00, ended up costing $15,540. The battery, which I was told would act as a generator, does not work as a generator because it is not large enough to cover our electric needs in the case of power outage. From the beginning of my experience with Kasselman, I have been misled on what the system would do and have been let down with the response from the company. The costumer service is appalling..my emails and texts are ignored. When the engineers come out, they tell me time and time again that he has never seen the problems I'm experiencing. Our latest issue was with an inverter that went bad in 2022 after only three years. We did not produce or store up credit with NYSEG for three months...three months during which I sent messages to Kasselman saying something was wrong. They took three months to get back to me. Three months of lost credit that will not get us through the winter and will now cost of thousands of dollars in heating bills that should have been covered with this system. It was a mistake to buy this system from Kasselman. I was misled when it was sold to me, and I have been misled since it was installed. In addition, I was told they would monitor the system. The last technician who came to the house disputed that, saying they couldn't possibly monitor all the systems they install!

  

  Business response

  08/16/2022

  Hi Andrew, 
  
  Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Customer service is something that we take extremely seriously, so we regret that we failed in this regard. 
  
  If you call our general line, you should be able to reach a team member immediately. Our voicemail and email accounts are also closely monitored so every inquiry gets responded to within 24-48 hours. With that being said, sometimes things slip through the cracks, but that is not an excuse for the lack of response. We are sorry that it happened continuously. We use negative feedback to improve our processes and ensure mistakes like this do not happen again.  
  
  Regarding your concerns with the usage/battery, our initial estimate of 121% was based on your usage pattern and house size, as we were not provided with an electric bill to base our estimate most accurately. Numbers can also get thrown off sometimes after installation if the energy usage of the household increases, which may also be a reason the solar panels are not covering 121% of the original estimate. For your battery expansion, we originally recommended a 16kW generator in 2019 for $8,750. The following year, we then recommended a 16kWh battery with a net cost of $15,000. As referenced in the 8/10/2021 email to you provided by your sales representative, the price difference is due to nearly doubling your storage capacity with a kWh battery as opposed to a kW generator, which are also different items. If we still did not communicate clearly enough, we take full responsibility for that as well and apologize for the trouble.
  
  Please let us know if there is anything else we can do to resolve these issues. Our relationship with you is something we want to make sure is a positive one. Your case is at the top of our list and will remain open until we come to a complete resolution that satisfies any and all outstanding issues. We appreciate your business and thank you for choosing Kasselman Solar. 

  Customer response

  08/18/2022

  The company did not deliver on the contract. The contracted stated the system would cover 121% of my electric and it does not. Further, I signed a statement allowing them to contact my electric company to perform due diligence on my electric use. They did not do this. Thus, I have a system that does not meet my electric needs as promised.

  

  Business response

  10/04/2022

  As stated in the email provided from the PV Design Engineer in the example uploaded to the BBB extranet, the 121% offset figure was an estimate derived from the usage pattern and the house size that was provided to him.  While we strive to have estimates that are completely accurate, it is impossible for us to guarantee what the coverage of solar panel systems would be without an actual electric bill, which is why one was requested prior to providing an estimate. We ask our customers to provide us with their electric bills to ensure highly accurate predictions, so their systems work as expected and they get their money’s worth. Our proposals have the estimated production in kWh’s and estimated offset based off usage from the electric bill provided, but when we don’t get an electric bill, we do the best we can with the information provided to us by the customer.  Additionally, the estimated kWh production is more within our control while we design the system, versus the customer's offset (usage) which can change drastically over time. 
  
  Regarding the home’s battery, the battery we installed is not equivalent to a generator. There’s only so much backup capabilities that a battery can supply an entire home with. The spec sheet with the battery’s abilities and limitations are issued with proposals that are generated and sent for full transparency with the customer. Essentially, the battery's capabilities depend on how many circuits are being powered by the battery and how much energy the battery is trying to back up when the battery turns on. The battery can connect to your main electric panel so it can back up your whole home, but due to its capabilities, not the whole home all at once.  Even though it is connected to your electric panel, it does not have an unlimited source of power and backup capabilities.  
  
  We regret that you are not 100% satisfied, as customer satisfaction is our top priority. If you are looking to add more capacity to your solar system, we are happy to consider a reasonable deal with you.  If you are looking to isolate specific circuits to backup with the battery because manually adjusting your electric loads during an outage is too much, we are also happy to consider a reasonable deal with you.   Regardless, we hope this information helps clear up any confusion. Please let us know if you have any questions. 
  

• Initial Complaint

  06/21/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I have been a customer of Kasselman solars since 2015, and it has been nothing but trouble from the start. They have not turned out to be what I would call a top-rated company. In the beginning, the panels were not producing as much energy as was guaranteed; despite putting an expansion after arguing for 2-3 years, it continued not to produce enough energy. I had to utilize local government funds to finally cut down trees to produce the minimal amount promised. Around that time, my roof began to leak because of poor installation. Initially, they fixed the first leak. However, the roof continued to leak due to poor planning and not utilizing engineers as they should have because I have a unique roof like many people in my area. When I contacted them, they told me leaks were due to the drainage system, not poor installation. I have had many experts in the roofing business that state that leaks are not due to the drainage system but by poor engerinring and not correctly installing the solar panels (they should not have been directly drilled into the roof and installed right next to the drain). In my attempts to resolve issues during an entire year and a half, I have called and have been ignored, and my calls get sent to voice mail. I have attempted to call and resolve the issues with the parent company and finally was able to get a callback. I was informed they would not come to assess the damage unless I paid an additional $350 fee—the company had already written off the damage as my problem. I had my insurance company and four separate contractors come to assess the roof; they sent out an expert to evaluate the roof, and it was deemed by the insurance company as well as the four contractors that the company was negligent and the panels were not installed properly. The company continued to disagree and did not attempt to correct the issues. They continued to push me to pay the $350 fee to have someone come to assess the roof; I was told that since they had already wr

  

  Business response

  10/03/2022

  ********** ****** has been a client of ours since 2016.  Throughout the years Kasselman Solar has gone above and beyond to provide top class service.  It seems no matter how much we do for this customer, it is not enough.  We are currently trying to work with him for a resolution, however, please see the breakdown below of our records with the client:
  
  2016 - Initial System Installation
  
  2018 - Customer filed complaint his system was not producing what was expected; as resolution Kasselman Solar gifted 9 extra panels to customer for FREE along with the trimming of trees to help increase system efficiency.  Every year since the expansion, the customer’s solar system has produced well above original expectations. 
  
  2019 - Customer reported a leaking problem; Kasselman Solar immediately inspected and fixed the issue, without any fee or cost to the customer.  Months after the fix, the customer reported leaking in multiple areas of the home.  Kasselman Solar immediately made site visit to investigate and determined the additional reported leaking was not caused by solar penetrations.  At this time, ********** faded into background, having been told that we would not be fixing the leaking that was not caused by solar penetrations.
  
  2020 - ********** resurfaced several months later, after contacting a lawyer and his insurance company – to request that Kasselman Solar pay for a new roof.  Customer claimed that his insurance company did investigation on the roof and in their letter sited among other issues, “solar” as a possible contributing factor.
  
  At this time Kasselman Solar advised ********** the letter from insurance was not something that could be accepted for liability and a follow up site inspection by Kasselman Solar is required if he wanted to move forward with a roof claim.  It was made ultimately clear that our re-inspection was required and that a standard fee of $250 would be applicable for the request.  It was also made expressly clear that the $250 fee would be refunded if KS was found to be at fault for solar penetrations. This was provided in writing. Customer declined.  Customer stated that his roof was in “too bad” of condition for our crew to go out and inspect.  After the discussions of our claim requirements ********** stopped reaching out.
  
  2021- Customer reached back out throughout the spring & summer of 2021, sometimes multiple times per day asking questions about removal/reinstallation and questions about layout changes.  Customer was provided with clear information on the process and the cost each time he reached out.
  
  ********** then attempted to request to schedule removal of the panels for roof work in the Fall of 2021, however we were no longer scheduling removal and reinstallation's as our crews were booked through the end of the year. We recommended he reach out early in 2022 for scheduling.
  
  2022-Customer reached back out in Spring to schedule removal of the panels. The contract was drafted and executed. 
  
  After the removal of the panels, customer made it expressly clear that he did not want any penetrations to the roof.  This request then was passed to our internal engineering department & West Shore was involved for our professional reference.
  
  
  It was communicated to customer that the ballasted system he requested was not approved due to the roof being outside manufacturers installation requirements. 
  
  ********** was adamant that there would be no penetrations during reinstallation however did not provide instruction on how he wanted to proceed.  
  
  After this, for the past couple of months, he no longer was calling or reaching out (all calls and emails leading up to his disappearance were responded to). 
  
  In the summer of 2022, **** resurfaced leaving negative feedback for Kasselman Solar on multiple public forums along with NYSERDA and The BBB.
  
  We have reached back out to ********** to see where he stands with scheduling his reinstallation.  Additionally, we have offered to significantly discount new materials. 
  
  To date the customer has not given the go-ahead for scheduling and has only insisted that we pay for the cost of his roof, delaying a resolution.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩