Like all of you, we are very concerned about the impact COVID-19 (coronavirus) is having on individuals, families, and communities throughout the country. I want to share with you the steps we are taking at Vivint Solar to ensure the safety and protection of both the homeowners we serve and our employees.
Your safety is our first priority.
Vivint Solar is fully committed to reducing the spread of COVID-19. First and foremost we will continue to Put People First. This is the first of our five company values and we continue to operate with this in mind.
Following CDC safety guidelines, as well as policies provided by other federal and local agencies.
We are closely following the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines at our corporate and regional offices. Currently, most of our employees who work at our headquarters are working from home. We require that anyone who feels unwell stops working and takes appropriate measures for their health and the safety of those around them.
Using technology to help keep everyone safe.
We're leveraging new technology that keeps our customers and employees safe during this difficult time and makes Vivint Solar more efficient as a business.
- Virtual Consultation: We understand many people still prefer face-to-face communication. However, the ongoing pandemic has forced us to ensure that most, if not all, communication can be done virtually using phone and video.
- E-Sign Documents: All contracts and required utility interconnection documents can be reviewed and signed using Docusign.
- Aerial Imagery: Solar energy system designs are customized using high-resolution aerial imagery, which reduces the need to take on-site roof photos.
- Digital Proposals: Your custom design, system information, and solar agreement will all be delivered digitally. Your documents are automatically stored in your online Account Center, and can be reviewed by you online or over the phone, eliminating the need to meet in person.
- Remote System Inspections: We take pride in our 86-point installation and inspection process and ensure high-quality work by capturing pictures of the completed installation and reviewing them remotely.
- Remote System Activation: Once systems are installed, we test them to ensure they can harness the energy from the sun and, when allowed by local jurisdictions, turn them off digitally while we await “Permission to Operate” from the utility. Once the utility gives the green light to turn the system on, we turn it on remotely, which means no home visit needed.
- System Performance: Solar systems are actively monitored by a dedicated team at our corporate headquarters using a mix of Wi-Fi and cellular connections.
Taking extra precautions during in-home visits and personal interaction.
In markets where we’re allowed to visit homes, we have modified our practices to ensure that we remain 100% compliant with the guidance from the CDC and WHO on hygiene and interacting with others. Our employees follow social distancing guidelines and remain at least six feet away from others. All interactions will be handshake free. Regardless, all of our sales, installation, and service teams wash their hands and/or sanitize their hands regularly. All required signatures will be gathered from a customer’s personal device so we can avoid sharing tablets and other personal handheld devices, like mobile phones.
Solar is an essential service according to the Department of Homeland Security.
The Department of Homeland Security updated their guidance on March 25, 2020 regarding essential services, including key changes to their descriptions for the electricity sector. The new guidance for essential workers within the electricity industry is described as “Workers who maintain, ensure, or restore, or are involved in the development, transportation, fuel procurement, expansion, or operation of the generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power, including call centers, utility workers, reliability engineers and fleet maintenance technicians.”
The Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA) has been in close contact with DHS, and both agree that this language is inclusive of solar. Vivint Solar will continue to install, maintain, and service systems according to customer needs.
These are truly uncharted times and we’re learning more as the situation unfolds. As health experts and government representatives share new guidance, we may make more changes to our business operations. Through it all, we will do what is in the best interest of the health and safety of our homeowners and employees.
David Bywater CEO
Frequently asked questions and answers as they relate to COVID-19.
We have provided the following answers to your questions so you can stay up to date on how these changes might affect you.
Appointments
Are you still conducting in-home service visits?
Yes. When we visit homes to perform regular system maintenance, we’re following the CDC Guidelines, as well as additional procedures, to ensure that we are keeping our employees and customers safe.
What is Vivint Solar doing to keep me, my household, and their employees safe during a service visit?
We’ve increased our efforts to keep our equipment clean and our employees aware of the appropriate ways to interact with you based on CDC Guidelines, including:
- Calling or texting you, instead of knocking at your door once they arrive at your home
- Avoiding any person-to-person contact (they may wave to you instead of shaking your hand)
- Washing their hands between visits
- Cleaning and sanitizing their equipment between visits
- Requiring any employees who feel unwell to stay home and seek medical attention
- Monitoring and communicating changes on a regular basis
Will my service appointment be impacted by COVID-19?
Our top priority is the safety of our employees, you, as a homeowner, and your family. We are committed to you and are working hard to make all service appointments proceed normally. We’ll keep monitoring the situation and may reach out to you to adjust your appointment date and/or time if necessary. Remember, we’re doing everything in our power to follow the CDC Guidelines, and feel we have a strong plan of action (see above) to complete your service in a safe and healthy way.
I’m worried about people visiting my home right now. Should I reschedule my appointment?
No, not necessarily. Our processes help minimize face-to-face contact between our field employees and you, the homeowner. We will always defer to your comfort level as a homeowner and will make any changes that we can to make you feel safe.
Home Surveys: Our home survey employees can limit their visit to the outside of your home. Instead of knocking on your door to let you know we’re at your home, we may call or text you. During our conversation with you, we may also ask you questions about your home’s interior instead of physically surveying it ourselves, though we could make a more thorough recommendation if our licensed surveyors are able to review the interior. Again, our number one goal is the personal safety of both you and our employees, so we’re going to take every precaution to maintain the “social distancing” recommendations from the CDC.
Installs: Our Install teams will limit their visit to the outside of your home as much as possible. Though most of the work we do is outside your home, we will have to connect into your electrical panel, so a member of our install team may need to enter your home. We will call or text you before we arrive and explain what we’ll be doing while we’re there. We’ll also minimize unnecessary contact by following CDC Guidelines and donning protective gear.
Inspections: The majority of all inspections occur outside of your home. On rare occasions, a municipal inspector may need to pop into the garage or attic to access some equipment, but you don't have to accompanybe with the inspectors while they are doing their review.
Service Visits: Our Field Service technicians can also limit their visit to the outside of your home. Like our Home Survey employees, our Field Service techs will call homeowners ahead of time and set clear expectations about what they’ll be doing during the visit. Unless there is something that severely limits their access to the outside of your home (locked gate, locked electrical meter, unrestrained pet, etc.) you may not even notice that they’re there.
Meter Readers: We only employ meter readers in Massachusetts and New Jersey. As long as your meter is easily accessible on the outside of your home (most are), you shouldn’t ever come in contact with one of our meter readers. They’ll simply walk up, take a reading, and leave.
If you do reschedule my appointment, how will I know about it?
We believe that it’s better to over-communicate rather than under-communicate.
We’ll call you to let you know that we’re rescheduling your appointment, why we’re doing so, and the next available service date in your area. We may also send you an email or text message to reiterate our actions.
Will COVID-19 cause delays in getting my system activated?
Many things can impact the time it takes to activate your solar energy system. Though we schedule appointments with your local municipality, it’s possible that they may be experiencing impacts due to COVID-19, which may affect their turnaround time and how quickly your solar energy system is powered on. The same applies to your utility company. Due to these potential delays, we feel that it's even more important that we do everything in our power to prioritize the work required to get your system activated.
Our promise to you: we will maintain regular contact with you throughout your journey from system installation to system activation until it is complete.
General
Should I expect any communication or production disruptions to my system?
If you ever feel that there is a problem with your solar energy system, we recommend that you follow the troubleshooting steps for your specific system. We also welcome your calls. Feel free to Contact Us with any unresolved concerns.