‘It’s left me upset and stuck’: Homeowner blames solar company for damaged roof after water pours in

ORLANDO, Fla. — A central Florida woman is feeling burned after she claims a solar company damaged her home. Water poured into her kitchen, and she now worries she could even lose her homeowners insurance over this.

With the Florida sunshine, Cristina Nilles thought getting solar on her roof was a great idea. She believed it was good for the environment and could save money.

“I feel like it was a good investment for the house,” she told Action 9 consumer investigator Jeff Deal.

But just days after Sun Services USA, based in Arizona, installed her panels she realized it wasn’t all good. Heavy rain brought by Hurricane Ian exposed a leak and water came pouring into her Altamonte Springs home.

“And then it went down into the frame all the way down here,” Nilles said as she showed the Action 9 team where the water was entering.

Nilles said it damaged the walls and made a mess.

She added, “A whole bunch of water (went) through the roof down into the wall or the floor. We had buckets everywhere.”

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She claimed the local installers for Sun Services USA admitted fault. They even returned and applied a sealant around the base of the panels where they were attached to the roof. But when she contacted company headquarters, she said Sun Services USA informed her it was not responsible. It sent her and email that read in part that it’s “highly likely that the damage is a result of the hurricane.”

Jeff Deal said, “So, you had the person in Orlando saying it was their fault, but the person in Arizona saying it’s not their fault.”

Nilles answered, “Yeah.”

She filed a claim with her insurance company for the damage, but it was denied since Nilles said its inspection showed solar installation was likely the cause of damage.

Action 9 asked an independent roof inspector, Joe Brag with WJA Consultants, to check things out.

Joe Bragg said, “You can see where the adhesive that’s used to secure, to seal and secure… this is compromised. I can see the gap right there when I lift it.”

Bragg found multiple connections not properly sealed and said Florida’s heat and heavy rains are a recipe for disaster with the way her panels are set up.

“So, I don’t believe in this design. It is functioning right now, but it has a limited capacity and of its life expectancy plain and simple,” he said.

Bragg said adding solar makes your home more vulnerable to damage and he blamed faulty installation for Cristina Nilles’ mess.

“I believe the solar company is responsible for the leak and they should come out here and make it right… I believe that they’ve left her hanging,” Bragg said.

Sun Services USA told Action 9, its inspection determined that all penetrations for the solar panels were intact and didn’t leak. The company denied its installers admitted fault. It blamed the hurricane for the water damage and claimed it only applied extra sealant as a precautionary measure and to ensure Cristina Nilles’ peace of mind.

Meanwhile, Nilles is still fighting to get her home repaired and fears this storm season could mean bigger problems for her home and her family.

“It’s left me upset and stuck, you know, instances, it’s like, I want to just take the solar off and put a brand-new roof on and just forget about it,” she said.

For now, Nilles’ home is still insured, but as many Floridians know that could change any day.

Roofing expert Joe Bragg told Action 9, typically it’s best to install solar when you’re also doing a re-roof. That way the installers will know if any additional trusses or structural support is needed to better secure the panels.

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