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The Hidden Risks North Texas Homeowners Should Know Before Putting Solar Panels On Your Home
Episode Overview
In Episode 004 of Know Your Home, host Dan O’Malley sits down with Daniel Cook, owner of Cook DFW Roofing & Restoration, and special guest Austin Prevost of PV National to tackle a question a lot of North Texas homeowners are asking:
Are solar panels actually worth it—and what happens when your roof needs to be replaced?
This episode gets into the real-world side of solar ownership that most homeowners never hear during the sales process. From financing and resale complications to detach-and-reset requirements during a roof replacement, Dan, Daniel, and Austin break down the practical risks, hidden costs, and major warranty issues that can come with putting solar panels on your home.
For homeowners in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, this conversation is especially important. Solar may sound like a simple upgrade, but in Texas, the value depends heavily on your utility provider, financing terms, buyback options, and how long you plan to stay in the home. And if your roof is ever damaged by hail or needs replacement, who removes and reinstalls that system matters more than most people realize.
This episode is built to help homeowners make smarter decisions before signing a solar contract—and to avoid expensive mistakes if they already have panels installed.
Episode Summary & Highlights
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Why the value of solar panels in North Texas depends on utility programs, buyback options, financing structure, and system sizing
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How solar detach and reset works during a roofing or storm restoration project
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Why using the wrong contractor to remove and reinstall solar panels can void manufacturer warranties and create major liability
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The difference between a qualified, licensed solar contractor and the “I’ve got a guy” approach that can cost homeowners thousands
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What Texas homeowners should know about TDLR license lookup and why licensing matters for solar-related electrical work
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How improper solar work can lead to system damage, fire risk, leaks, and long-term warranty issues
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Why solar panels can create complications when selling a home, especially if the system is financed
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How oversized or overpriced solar systems can hurt resale value and trap homeowners in homes they can’t easily sell
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What a good solar situation actually looks like for a homeowner—and why it’s not a one-size-fits-all decision
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Why researching price per kilowatt, financing terms, and provider buyback programs is essential before moving forward with solar
Full Episode Transcript
Dan O’Malley:
If you have solar panels on your home, or you’re considering getting them, then you’re in the right place. On this episode, we’ll let you know an essential piece of information that could save you thousands of dollars.
Because let’s be honest, your home is your most valuable asset. So it’s important to know everything you can to protect it. I’m your host, Dan O’Malley, along with your home expert and owner-operator of Cook DFW Roofing and Restoration, Daniel Cook, and we are going to know your home.
Solar panels, Daniel — are they worth it?
Daniel Cook:
It totally depends on the application, where you live, what state you live in sometimes, the size of the system, and what you’re actually trying to accomplish. There’s a lot of different criteria there.
Dan O’Malley:
All right, let’s start with our general area of operation, which is North Texas. Do you think it’s a good idea for someone to go with solar panels on their home?
Daniel Cook:
I think you need to do a lot of research. You need to look at your electricity providers. Are they going to have a program that benefits you by having those panels? Are they going to have a rebate program? Are they going to be able to bank the electricity that you save in some months and let you use it in others?
A lot of those programs are not active, and that makes it very difficult for a homeowner to invest $30,000, $40,000, or $50,000 into a panel system and not get the same benefits that some states do.
So in most basic HOA neighborhoods, it may not be the best investment.
Dan O’Malley:
Have you ever come across any HOAs that don’t allow solar panels?
Daniel Cook:
Actually, that’s against the law. HOAs have to allow solar panels to be installed. They prefer them, of course, to be away from the front of the home. But if the architect of the solar panel system says the best energy collection is going to occur in the front, they have to allow them to be installed there too.
Dan O’Malley:
They just ideally don’t want you to have an entire solar panel array in the front yard.
Daniel Cook:
No. As you know, when you drive down the street, they’re trying to keep that architectural look nice from the front. That’s the whole desire.
Dan O’Malley:
Now, as a roofer, do you deal with solar panels when you encounter them on people’s homes?
Daniel Cook:
Quite often. We probably do at least 10 to 15 projects a year that have solar panels on the roof.
Dan O’Malley:
And do you yourself deal with the solar panels, or do you call somebody to deal with the solar panels?
Daniel Cook:
No, we definitely have been vetting solar panel detach-and-reset companies for many years. We’ve been very fortunate. We stumbled upon a gentleman who takes it very seriously and has a really good program.
We work hand-in-hand with him, and his team comes out very professionally. They’re able to detach the system, and they have a licensed electrician who oversees the whole project.
These systems are very dangerous, and if something isn’t done correctly — or if you have somebody up there who doesn’t know what they’re doing — you could easily burn your house down.
Dan O’Malley:
Well, I certainly hope the gentleman you’re referring to is Austin Prevost from PV National, because if it’s not, then this is about to get real awkward.
Austin, if you can hear me, welcome to Know Your Home. We appreciate you being here. I hope it’s you Daniel was just talking about.
Austin Prevost:
No, thank you guys so much for having me. We’re excited to be here.
Dan O’Malley:
For those of us that don’t know, and even though it may sound obvious, please just tell us: what is detach and reset?
Austin Prevost:
Sure. “Detach and reset” originates from the line item in Xactimate software that insurance companies use to estimate scopes of work when they’re working on an adjustment.
On the insurance scope, it comes in as “detach and reset.” That’s what most insurance restoration contractors are familiar with, so that’s how we market our business — as a solar detach-and-reset company, specifically in the insurance restoration market.
Dan O’Malley:
Is it common for a homeowner to contact you directly, or is it more common for someone like Daniel — a roofing contractor or someone in the insurance industry — to contact you?
Austin Prevost:
I would say about 95% of our business comes from B2B relationships that we’ve built, like the one PV National has with Cook DFW.
And then obviously — and we may get into this — there’s about a 70% attrition rate on solar companies going out of business within the first three years. So if a homeowner invested in solar in the last five years, there’s a strong chance they no longer have a current service provider.
If a roofing company does not have a preferred vendor like Daniel and we do, then a lot of times the roofing contractor will put it on the homeowner to go find a solar company. We get some of those calls directly, but most of our work comes through roofing companies.
Dan O’Malley:
And the service that you provide is essential to a homeowner. So I think it’s wise for homeowners to be aware that this service exists — and not just that it exists, but why it matters.
Because if it’s not done properly, the removal of those solar panels when roofing work needs to be done can cost you thousands of dollars, right?
Austin Prevost:
Yes — it could cost you tens of thousands of dollars.
We’ve run into situations here in Dallas–Fort Worth where a roofing contractor presents it to the homeowner like, “Don’t worry about the solar portion, I’ve got a guy.” And unless that contractor has real answers about qualifications, certifications, and license information, that usually just means they’ve found someone cheap and they’re making a big spread between what insurance is paying and what the subcontractor is charging.
At the end of the day, there have been plenty of situations where a low-cost company comes in, wires up a junction box wrong, doesn’t commission the system properly, fries the system, and suddenly that’s a $30,000, $40,000, or $50,000 problem.
If you don’t have a roofing contractor who’s willing to take that burden on, I’ve seen that happen multiple times.
Daniel Cook:
Yeah, those are excellent points. The real reason Austin and I started collaborating is that we want to leave an excellent product behind.
We leave a lifetime warranty on our roofs. We leave a lot of assurance to the homeowner that they’re not going to have to worry about anything after we leave. Austin does a great job, and not every detach-and-reset company does these things.
We use all new hardware, all new feet, all new fasteners — the kind of things that can make a system fail if reused improperly. I also appreciate that Austin makes sure a licensed electrician oversees the system when it’s put back together.
We know that system is functioning correctly, actively working, properly hooked back up, and not creating a fire risk. That opens up a whole Pandora’s box with solar systems if it’s not handled properly.
So if you have solar on your home, there are some very good questions you need to ask:
– Who is doing my solar detach and reset?
– What credentials do they have?
– Have they worked with this kind of system?
– Are they familiar with these panels?
– What if I have a battery?
– How are they disconnecting it?
– How are they de-energizing and re-energizing it?
Those are serious questions.
Austin, I’ve got a question for you. You mentioned some contractors just hire the first guy they can that’ll do it for $100 a panel. So as a homeowner, what are you risking overall? You mentioned the solar system frying out. Is that the main problem? What about leaks? Because I hear that often.
Austin Prevost:
Sure. The major thing you’re risking is your manufacturer warranty.
When you buy a solar system, whether you finance it or pay cash, the system comes with two different warranties. You have a manufacturer warranty on the equipment — the panels, inverters, racking hardware, all of that — and then you have a separate labor and workmanship warranty.
When PV National comes in and does a detach and reset, because we’re licensed, certified, and properly credentialed, we’re able to maintain the manufacturer warranty. Then we replace the labor warranty with a limited lifetime warranty to match the remainder of the manufacturer warranty.
What you’re risking with the “$100 a panel guy” is that on these manufacturer warranties, there are all kinds of liability exclusions. If unqualified personnel work on your system in any capacity, those manufacturer warranties can be voided.
That person does not have the resources, the proper insurance, or the required license in Texas. Electrical work is regulated by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Solar is absolutely electrical work under the National Electric Code.
So if you’re hiring people who are not licensed and who don’t have a master electrician overseeing their work, not only are you voiding the workmanship and labor warranty, but you’re also risking the 25-year manufacturer warranty that came with your $30,000, $60,000, $80,000, or $90,000 solar investment.
It’s just absolutely not worth going the cheap route in solar.
If the system cost you $60,000 to install and it’s a 30-panel system, in what world does it make sense that it only costs $3,000 to remove it, issue new warranties, and put it back on?
The math doesn’t math.
And just quickly — manufacturers like Enphase and SolarEdge are cracking down on who can work on their systems. They’re asking for certifications and Texas license information. Some manufacturers won’t even talk directly to homeowners anymore. They only speak with installers.
So if you’re not handling this properly as a GC or as a homeowner, you’re exposing yourself to a ton of liability.
Dan O’Malley:
So as a homeowner, it would be wise if I’m shopping for a detach-and-reset service to ask: are you certified? Are you insured? Are you licensed?
Austin Prevost:
Exactly. The big thing in Texas is licensed. It’s as easy as using the TDLR license lookup. Just type in the company name and it’ll show you right there whether they’re licensed or unlicensed.
It takes less than three minutes to verify whether your roofing contractor is hiring a properly licensed electrical contractor or not.
Dan O’Malley:
TDLR. I’m writing that down along with 690.2.
Daniel Cook:
The TDLR lookup is a critical tool for a lot of home services in Texas — HVAC, electrical, plumbing, all of the licensed trades.
As a homeowner, that’s something you should probably be doing for the majority of contractors working on your home. It’ll tell you if the license is active, expired, who it belongs to — all of that.
And I’d also add this: there are people out there offering handyman services, which can be fine for certain things. But once you get into very specific licensed trades, that’s when it’s time to call the actual licensed professional.
Austin Prevost:
Exactly. TDLR is a great resource for homeowners.
The other thing we haven’t talked about is selling your home when you have solar panels on it.
Daniel Cook:
My wife’s a realtor, and I can’t tell you how many times she’s had to talk to clients who have solar panels and explain that they’ve got a couple of options.
Can the system be taken over by the new buyer? Maybe — but the buyer has to qualify. And if the roof was replaced at some point, then who owns that warranty? Is there still a warranty on the system at all? Those are big issues when selling a home.
Dan O’Malley:
So if I were to sell my house, that solar system does not automatically convey the same way a normal fixture might?
Austin Prevost:
There are two options, but here’s how it’s typically classified.
A lot of these loans are written as a UCC-1 personal property lien. The lender’s asset is the solar equipment itself. But title companies often see it like a fixture to the property, even though it really isn’t.
The reality is, the only real option many sellers have if they financed the solar is to pay it off at closing. Buyers generally do not want to assume a solar loan they didn’t originate.
And if 70% of solar companies are out of business, there may be no service provider or warranty support left on that system anyway.
That creates a huge problem in real estate transactions. The average solar loan amount in Texas is over $46,000. If you have to pay that off at closing, that’s equity coming right out of your home.
And if a buyer tries to assume the loan, it affects debt-to-income ratios and can keep them from qualifying for the house at all.
A lot of systems were sold as if you could just tack the value onto the sale price of the house. That’s not how it’s shaken out.
Daniel Cook:
That is very common. I can’t tell you how many transactions get difficult the minute solar comes into the conversation.
I just spoke with a realtor friend who has a homeowner in Plano with an oversized solar system on an older home. The home may be worth $325,000, but she has around $50,000 in debt on the solar system. She can’t sell her house.
That’s the tragedy of some of these sales setups. The salesperson sells the deal, gets paid, and walks away. The minute the system goes on your roof, they’re done.
That’s why education matters so much with solar.
Dan O’Malley:
Austin, from a homeowner standpoint, what is the perfect scenario? What is a good situation for me to have solar panels?
Austin Prevost:
Before I answer that directly, I want to give some context on the industry.
One of the biggest problems in solar has been lack of pricing regulation. There hasn’t been a clear way for a consumer to know what a fair retail price should be for a system.
So number one: price matters. If someone is trying to sell you a 10-kilowatt system for $60,000, run the other way. A price per kilowatt should not be above roughly $3.25 for a straight solar system without batteries.
Number two: your energy provider matters. Not just the utility, but the actual provider. You need a provider with a decent buyback program and a setup that makes sense for your usage.
And number three: do not use traditional solar financing unless you really understand it. There are dealer fees in those loans that are often disguised and can drastically inflate the real cost of the system.
For example, someone might think they’re buying a $100,000 system, but the lender may only actually be loaning $60,000 to the installer and taking a huge dealer fee off the top.
Would you knowingly buy a system with a 40% fee built in? Of course not.
So pricing, financing, and your utility buyback structure — those are the main keys.
If you get those right, solar can absolutely work. But it is not one-size-fits-all.
Dan O’Malley:
I don’t like to be a negative Nancy about anything, but based on everything I’ve heard today, it doesn’t sound like solar panels are a good idea.
Austin Prevost:
It really, really depends.
If you can get a good buyback program, do your research, and get a good straight loan — not some crazy third-party deal — then I’ve seen it work for tons of people. It can be really great.
But you’ve got to know what you’re doing. You’ve got to have the right price, the right financing, and the right utility setup.
Solar can be very cool. It can really work. It’s just not right for every house, every city, or every situation.
Dan O’Malley:
If you do have solar panels and you live in the North Texas area, give Austin a call. Austin Prevost from PV National. You also have a great YouTube channel and website.
They help with detach and resets, and they’ll make sure your manufacturer warranties are protected. Austin, thank you so much for the information. It’s a lot, and it’s excellent information for homeowners to have.
Austin Prevost:
Absolutely, man. Daniel, Dan — thank you guys so much for having me. I’m ready to jump in anytime you guys want. I had a ton of fun. Thank you.
Dan O’Malley:
Now that it’s just you and me again, Daniel — are you pro or against solar panels?
Daniel Cook:
Dan, like we already talked about, there are some situations where it works.
If you live out in the country and you have a lot of power failure, they could be a great opportunity. I’ve seen them work with batteries. I’ve seen them work with generators. I’ve seen farmers use them for equipment in their fields.
So they have a purpose.
Again, it comes back to where does Texas fall into that beneficial zone for a homeowner to actually take that burden and cost? California does a lot of buybacks. Texas really doesn’t.
What’s funny is Texas has invested heavily in solar production for the grid, but they don’t incentivize homeowners the same way. So the infrastructure is moving, but not necessarily in a way that helps residents save money directly.
And the original pitch from a lot of solar companies was that energy costs were going to rise dramatically, fast. The idea was to lock homeowners into a fixed rate for 25 years.
On paper, that sounds great. If you said, “Hey, you’ll pay $185 a month for electricity for the next 30 years,” a lot of people would sign up immediately.
The problem is that too many systems were sold by people not doing it for the right reasons.
I’ve got a house in Plano, about 1,800 square feet, with 38 panels on it. It’s outrageously oversized. The homeowner got overcharged, is paying $475 a month for a system she doesn’t need, and now she can’t sell her house.
That’s bad all the way around.
But I’ve also talked with homeowners who love their systems. They pay the same amount every month, they haven’t paid a separate electric bill in 24 months, and they have consistent power.
Those people exist too.
You just have to do way more than listen to a salesperson. You need to figure out the finance charges, the system cost, the price per kilowatt, and how it all fits your actual situation.
That’s where resources like Austin come in. And if you own a solar system, you are responsible for it from the day it goes on your home until the day it’s paid off — and even after that. That’s a big responsibility.
Dan O’Malley:
In my short time doing real estate in North Texas, I had clients ask me whether solar panels were a good idea.
And the first thing I would tell them was: if you’re not going to be in this house for a long time, don’t even mess with it.
Even if you pay cash for it, you still need to stay in that house long enough to get that money back. And if you finance it, you really better plan to stay for a while.
So the first question you should ask yourself is: how long do you think you’ll be in this home?
Daniel Cook:
Exactly. I saw a graph once that showed, depending on system size and what you paid, most homeowners don’t really get ahead of the curve until somewhere between years 11 and 14.
Dan O’Malley:
Solar panel buyer beware.
If you found any of this valuable — and God knows I did — we invite you to like and subscribe so you can know your home.
And if you are in North Texas and would like to schedule a free roof inspection and property review courtesy of Daniel Cook and Cook DFW Roofing and Restoration, call 833-COOK-DFW or go to cookdfw.com.
We will see you next time right here on Know Your Home.