How to Get More Solar Leads at the Door

• 8th July, 2025
• Alex Gambashidze

Most homeowners buy solar panels without knowing their home wastes energy. This costs you money and creates unhappy customers.

Here's the problem: When homes leak energy, solar systems don't work as promised. Customer dissatisfaction follows when promised financial benefits don't materialize due to unaddressed home inefficiencies. This hurts your reputation and makes it harder to get quality solar leads.

The solution? Start with a Home Energy Check before installing solar. This simple step helps customers save more money and makes your solar business stand out from competitors. The best way to get solar leads is by offering services that truly deliver on their promises.

You'll learn how to use energy checks to get better customers, increase your profits, and build a stronger solar business. These marketing strategies help home services companies generate leads more effectively.

Table of Contents

1. Why Energy Checks Matter

2. How Home Problems Hurt Returns

3. What Goes Into Energy Checks

4. Diagnostic Tools

5. Transform Sales Process

6. New Revenue Streams

7. Building Trust

8. Digital Marketing

9. Implementation Steps

Why Energy Checks Matter for Solar Lead Generation

A Home Energy Check looks at how your customer's house uses energy before you install solar panels. Most solar companies just check the roof and design a system. But this misses the bigger picture.

Energy checks ensure that your solar system is correctly sized based on an optimized energy load, not an inflated one caused by preventable inefficiencies. This approach helps you generate leads for solar sales by providing real value to potential customers.

What Energy Checks Do for Homeowners

Energy checks help customers in five key ways:

• Lower energy bills even before solar installation

• Smaller, less expensive solar systems that work better

• Faster payback on their solar investment

• More comfortable homes year-round

• Higher home value when they sell

What Energy Checks Do for Your Business

Your solar company gets major benefits too:

• Happier customers who refer more business

• Clear advantage over competitors who skip this step

• More services to sell beyond just solar panels

• Reputation as an energy expert, not just a panel installer

• More accurate quotes with realistic savings

• Better results from your marketing efforts across all channels

The energy check changes your sales conversation. Instead of selling panels, you're solving energy problems. Energy checks shift the solar sales conversation from a commoditized transaction to a customized, holistic solution. This brings in better quality leads who are serious about long-term savings. Pay per call solar leads convert much better when customers understand the complete value proposition.

How Home Problems Hurt Solar Returns

Energy waste in homes directly hurts solar system performance. Understanding this helps you explain why energy checks matter to your customers.

Wrong System Sizes Cost More Money

Homes that waste energy use way more electricity than they should. When you size a solar system based on this high usage, you end up installing a much bigger system than needed.

Energy checks help you find and fix energy waste first. This lets you install smaller, cheaper solar systems that work better. Some customers save 20-30% on installation costs this way.

Energy Waste Reduces Savings

Even the best solar panels can't overcome major energy waste. Here's what happens in inefficient homes:

• Solar power gets wasted covering energy leaks

• Actual savings are much lower than expected

• The payback period takes years longer

• Customers get frustrated and leave bad reviews

HVAC systems use about 43% of home energy. In leaky homes, these systems work much harder. This uses up solar power that could offset other electricity needs.

Long-Term Performance Problems

Energy drains undermine the long-term investment value of solar installation. Installing solar without fixing energy waste is like buying a sports car but only driving in first gear.

The most successful solar companies know that energy checks lead to:

• Lower energy demand from the start

• Right-sized solar systems that cost less

• Better offset of optimized energy bills

• Faster payback periods

• Much happier customers

This approach improves your lead quality and gets you more referrals and fewer complaints. Solar lead generation companies often struggle to provide exclusive solar leads that actually convert, but energy checks help you stand out in your service area.

What Goes Into a Home Energy Check

A complete energy check looks at several parts of the home to find specific problems that hurt solar performance.

Insulation and Air Sealing

This is the foundation of energy efficiency. The check looks at insulation in the attic, walls, basement, and foundation. Poor insulation is the main cause of energy loss.

Air sealing finds leaks around windows, doors, outlets, and other openings. Good air sealing can save 5-30% on energy bills every year.

HVAC System Review

Since heating and cooling use 43% of home energy, this part is critical. The check looks at:

• Age and efficiency of heating and cooling equipment

• Condition of air filters and ductwork

• Thermostat type and settings

• Overall system performance

Fixing HVAC problems before solar installation means you won't need to oversize the system to compensate for an inefficient heating and cooling system.

Windows and Doors

Windows and doors cause major heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer. The assessment checks:

• Single, double, or triple-pane glass

• Frame materials and condition

• Weatherstripping and seals

Upgrading to energy-efficient windows can cut energy bills by about 13%. This means you need a smaller solar system.

Appliances and Electronics

The check looks at major appliances like refrigerators, water heaters, washers, dryers, and dishwashers. It also finds "phantom loads" from electronics that use power even when turned off.

Water heating can use 12-20% of home energy. This makes it a big factor in total energy use and solar system size.

Lighting Review

The assessment looks at light bulb types, usage patterns, and potential for energy-saving controls. Switching to LED lights cuts lighting energy use by at least 75%.

Electrical Panel Check

The main electrical panel needs to safely handle the solar system and any future upgrades like electric car chargers or heat pumps.

This complete check gives homeowners a clear plan for improving their home's energy use before solar installation. Every solar panel then delivers maximum value and performance.

Tools That Make Energy Checks Work

Professional tools and methods make your energy check service credible and effective. These tools give you real data you can use to help customers and design better solar systems.

Key Diagnostic Tools

Blower Door Test. Blower doors measure how airtight a home is. A powerful fan temporarily sealed in a doorway pulls air out of the house. This shows exactly where air leaks through cracks and gaps.

The results give you an objective measure of the home's "leakiness" and help identify the biggest energy loss areas.

Infrared Camera. This camera shows temperature differences you can't see with your eyes. It's perfect for finding heat loss or gain that wastes energy.

The visual evidence is very effective for showing homeowners exactly where their energy goes. This makes it easy to justify efficiency upgrades before solar installation.

Duct Leakage Tester. HVAC ducts often waste a lot of energy. This tool pressurizes the duct system to measure air leakage. It makes sure heated or cooled air gets delivered efficiently instead of being lost in attics or crawlspaces.

Energy Modeling Software. After collecting data from the inspection and tests, special software analyzes the home's energy performance. Tools like Hancock MINT or SnapCount can model current energy use and estimate savings from improvements.

This gives you solid, quantitative data for your recommendations and solar system sizing. Customers have much more confidence in your proposals.

Industry Standards and Certifications

Using recognized standards and certified professionals builds credibility for your energy check service.

Building Performance Institute (BPI) BPI sets standards for home performance professionals. Key certifications include Energy Auditor (EA) and Building Analyst Professional (BA-P).

Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) RESNET's HERS Index is an industry standard for measuring home energy efficiency.

Using professionals with these certifications builds homeowner trust. Remember, 32% of potential solar customers worry about finding a trustworthy installer.

By using professional tools and methods in your solar business, you improve the technical quality of your service and strengthen your market position as a sophisticated, trustworthy energy provider. These lead generation services help differentiate your services business from competitors in search results.

How to Transform Your Solar Sales Process

Adding energy checks to your solar business changes everything about how you sell. You move from selling products to solving problems. This transformation is key to how to generate leads for solar sales effectively.

Position Energy Checks as Essential Protection

Frame the energy check as essential protection for the much larger solar investment. Your sales team should explain how energy checks lead to:

• Right-sized solar systems that cost less

• Solar systems that work better for the home's actual needs

• Higher returns and faster payback

• Better home comfort and value

Remember, 32% worry about finding a trustworthy installer. Offering comprehensive energy checks immediately sets you apart from competitors who only provide basic solar quotes. This approach delivers the best solar leads because customers see real value in real time.

How to Integrate Energy Checks

To effectively add energy checks to your sales process:

• Introduce energy checks early in your first meeting with customers

• Train your sales team to clearly explain the benefits and include it naturally in their solar presentation

• Use energy checks to qualify leads - homeowners willing to invest in a comprehensive assessment are usually more serious about solar

• Create service packages with different levels of assessment and improvement options

This approach builds stronger relationships with clients. Conversations become tailored to their specific home instead of a generic solar pitch.

What You Need to Consider

Successfully launching energy checks requires planning:

• Decide whether to train your own team or partner with certified energy auditors

• Buy necessary equipment like blower doors and infrared cameras

• Get energy modeling software to analyze data and create reports

• Create clear processes for scheduling, conducting, and reporting assessments

• Set up workflows to make sure assessment insights inform your solar design

This integrated approach ensures that valuable insights from energy checks accurately inform your solar design and proposals.

By changing your sales approach from focusing on solar panels to addressing complete home energy solutions, you'll attract higher-quality leads, improve conversion rates, and build a reputation as a trusted energy advisor.

New Revenue Streams for Growing Your Business

Energy checks naturally uncover specific areas where homes can be improved. This creates significant opportunities to sell additional services and increase your revenue. These strategies work for both residential and commercial solar leads.

Direct Improvement Services

Immediate opportunities come from the specific improvements identified in your energy check report:

• Insulation: Adding or improving insulation in attics, walls, and basements

• Air Sealing: Fixing drafts and leaks throughout the home

• Smart Thermostats: Installing programmable thermostats for better control

• Windows and Doors: Replacing old, leaky units with modern alternatives

• HVAC Work: Servicing existing systems or recommending replacement

You can either learn to do these upgrades yourself or partner with local contractors and earn referral fees.

Better Solar Solutions

Once efficiency upgrades are done, you can offer:

Right-Sized Solar Systems. Efficient homes need smaller, less expensive solar systems. While this might seem like less revenue from solar, it makes solar affordable for more customers and increases your total sales.

Advanced Energy Integration. With a more efficient home, you're well-positioned to offer:

• Battery storage systems

• Electric car chargers

• Smart home energy management systems

Service Package Options

Create different packages for different customer needs and budgets:

• Basic Package: Energy check + right-sized solar system

• Premium Package: Energy check + key efficiency upgrades + right-sized solar system

• Ultimate Package: Energy check + comprehensive upgrades + right-sized solar system + battery storage

This changes your business model from selling one product (solar panels) to offering complete energy solutions. This significantly increases your average revenue per customer.

Reach More Customers

By making the total energy solution more affordable, you can reach homeowners who might have found a large solar system too expensive.

If a smaller solar system works after efficiency improvements, the total project cost might be more attractive and offer faster returns than a larger system on an inefficient home.

This comprehensive approach increases your immediate revenue opportunities and positions your business for long-term success in an evolving energy market. Home services companies that offer complete solutions generate better results than those focused on single products.

Building Customer Trust

One of the most valuable benefits of energy checks is building deeper customer trust and significantly reducing complaints after installation.

Solving the Trust Problem

Research shows that satisfaction requires savings. The same study found that 32% of potential customers worry about finding a trustworthy installer.

Energy checks directly address these concerns by:

• Providing transparent, data-driven information about home energy performance

• Setting realistic expectations about solar system output and savings

• Showing your commitment to the customer's long-term energy success

Matching Expectations with Reality

Customer dissatisfaction often comes from gaps between expected and actual solar performance. This usually results from unaddressed energy problems that reduce real-world benefits.

By doing a thorough assessment before solar installation, you:

• Create a verifiable baseline of the home's energy performance

• Provide accurate savings projections based on an optimized home

• Identify efficiency improvements that improve comfort and reduce bills

This helps customers make fully informed decisions with realistic expectations. This dramatically reduces the chance of post-installation disappointment.

Preventing Common Complaints

BBB documents complaints about solar installations related to:

• Promised bill reductions not happening

• System performance falling short of expectations

• Unexpected additional costs

Energy checks establish a verifiable baseline and identify crucial variables affecting performance. This makes your solar proposal more robust and transparent.

Building Long-Term Relationships

The energy check process provides multiple touchpoints with customers:

• Initial assessment

• Discussion of findings

• Implementation of upgrades

• Solar installation

• Follow-up performance verification

These interactions create opportunities to build rapport and establish your company as a knowledgeable, trustworthy energy partner.

Customers who have a positive experience with an energy check and see their solar systems perform as expected become powerful advocates for your business. Satisfied customers are a valuable source of referrals and positive reviews.

By proactively addressing potential problems through comprehensive assessment and optimization, you can significantly improve your reputation, reduce negative reviews, and build a more sustainable customer base built on trust. This is how to get solar leads that actually convert into long-term customers.

Digital Marketing Your Energy Check Service

Effectively marketing your energy check service requires identifying the right customers, creating compelling messages, and using smart digital marketing tactics. Solar lead generation works best when you target potential customers who understand the value of comprehensive solutions.

Target Customer Groups

While any homeowner considering solar is a potential candidate, certain groups are particularly receptive:

• Homeowners actively seeking solar: Already in the market and likely to want to maximize their investment

• Environmentally conscious homeowners: Motivated by reducing their carbon footprint

• Cost-conscious homeowners: Primarily concerned with high energy bills and seeking long-term savings

• Owners of older homes: More prone to energy problems and greater potential for improvement

• Homeowners planning renovations: Looking to integrate energy improvements with other projects

Tailor your marketing messages to what motivates each group. For environmentally conscious homeowners, focus on carbon footprint reduction. For cost-conscious ones, emphasize bill savings and returns. Social media campaigns can effectively target these different segments with customized messaging.

Compelling Messages

Your energy check marketing should clearly communicate its unique value, focusing on how it improves solar investments and delivers broader home benefits.

Effective Headlines:

• "Maximize Your Solar Savings: Start with a Home Energy Check"

• "Don't Let Energy Waste Hurt Your Solar Investment"

• "Unlock True Solar Potential: The Efficiency-First Approach"

• "Is Your Home Solar-Ready? Find Out with Our Energy Assessment"

Key Selling Points:

1. Optimize Your Solar Investment: Energy checks ensure the solar system is perfectly sized for an efficient home, potentially reducing upfront costs

2. Achieve Faster Returns: Show that reduced baseline energy use leads to quicker payback and increased lifetime savings

3. Improve Home Comfort: Highlight benefits like eliminating drafts, consistent temperatures, and better air quality

4. Increase Home Value: Communicate that an energy-efficient home with solar is more valuable to future buyers

5. Use Social Proof: Share case studies and testimonials from homeowners who have benefited from pre-solar assessments

Digital Marketing Tactics

SEO Strategy. Target homeowners at various stages of their research:

High-Intent Keywords:

• "home energy audit before solar"

• "pre-solar energy assessment [city]"

• "maximize solar panel ROI"

• "improve solar system performance"

Problem/Solution Keywords:

• "why is my solar bill still high"

• "how to make my home solar ready"

• "benefits of insulation for solar efficiency"

Long-Tail Keywords:

• "benefits of pre-solar energy audit for older homes"

• "how air leaks affect solar energy savings in [city]"

• "best home improvements before installing solar panels"

Content Marketing. Create helpful content addressing common questions:

Blog Posts:

• "Why a Pre-Solar Energy Audit is Essential for Smart Homeowners"

• "5 Hidden Home Problems Silently Draining Your Solar Returns"

• "Case Study: How an Energy Check Helped the Smith Family Cut Solar Costs"

Comprehensive Guides:

• "The Complete Homeowner's Guide to Optimizing Your Home for Solar"

• "Pre-Solar Checklist: Ensuring Maximum Returns from Your Solar Investment"

Visual Content:

• Demo videos of blower door tests or infrared camera inspections

• Infographics showing common energy loss areas and impact on solar sizing

Include local SEO elements, targeting geographic-specific terms to attract local customers.

By using these targeted marketing strategies, you'll effectively promote your energy check service and educate homeowners about the crucial connection between home efficiency and optimal solar performance. These approaches help you appear in relevant search results when potential customers are actively researching solar options.

Steps to Start Energy Checks

Adding energy checks to your solar business requires a strategic, step-by-step approach. Here's a practical roadmap:

1. Build Your Knowledge Base

Start by learning home energy assessment basics:

• Consider BPI training for key team members to get industry-recognized certifications

• Research software tools like Hancock MINT, SnapCount, or ENERGY STAR's Home Energy Yardstick

• Study diagnostic equipment requirements and specifications

2. Decide How to Provide the Service

Choose how you'll deliver energy checks:

In-house Development:

• Requires investment in staff training, certification, and equipment

• Gives you greater control over quality and branding

• Lets you keep all revenue from assessments and upgrades

Partnership Model:

• Faster entry into offering energy check services

• Lower upfront investment

• May involve revenue sharing with partners

3. Buy Essential Equipment

Get diagnostic tools for comprehensive assessments:

• Blower door testing equipment

• Infrared thermal imaging camera

• Combustion analyzer (for homes with gas appliances)

• Basic measurement tools (moisture meters, CO detectors, etc.)

• Energy modeling software

Consider starting with basic equipment and gradually expanding as your service grows.

4. Create Clear Processes and Reports

Develop standardized procedures:

• Design comprehensive checklists covering all key areas

• Create report templates that clearly communicate findings and recommendations

• Set pricing for different levels of service

• Establish protocols for integrating findings with solar system design

5. Train Your Team

Comprehensive training is essential:

• Train sales staff on effectively explaining the value of energy checks

• Educate technical staff on assessment procedures and equipment use

• Make sure designers understand how to use assessment findings in solar system sizing

• Develop scripts and answers to common objections

6. Launch a Pilot Program

Start limited rollouts to test and refine your processes:

• Select a specific area or customer segment for initial offering

• Conduct assessments for a small group of existing customers or new leads

• Document results carefully, creating case studies for future marketing

• Gather feedback from customers and staff to identify improvement areas

7. Build Strategic Partnerships

Build strategic partnerships with complementary service providers:

• Connect with HVAC contractors for recommended system upgrades

• Partner with insulation and weatherization companies

• Collaborate with window and door installers

• Consider relationships with home inspectors and real estate agents for referrals

8. Track Key Performance Indicators

Monitor specific metrics to evaluate your service:

• Conversion rate from energy check to solar installation

• Average revenue per customer (with vs. without energy checks)

• Customer satisfaction scores

• Accuracy of energy savings projections

• Reduction in post-installation complaints

• Referral rate from energy check customers

9. Scale and Refine

Based on pilot program results:

• Gradually expand the energy check service offering

• Refine processes based on feedback

• Invest in additional training or equipment as needed

• Consider developing additional service tiers based on customer demand

• Expand marketing efforts to promote the service more broadly

10. Keep Learning and Innovating

Stay at the forefront of home energy assessment and solar integration:

• Keep up with evolving technologies in home energy efficiency

• Add new smart home and energy management technologies as they emerge

• Regularly update your assessment processes to maintain best practices

• Consider adding complementary services like EV charger installation or battery storage

By following this roadmap, you'll successfully integrate energy checks into your solar business operations, creating additional value for customers while differentiating your company in the competitive solar market. This approach consistently produces better results than traditional solar lead generation companies.

The Future-Proof Solar Business Model

Adding energy checks to your solar business represents more than just an additional service—it's a fundamental shift toward a more comprehensive, customer-focused, and future-proof business model.

The Changing Energy Landscape

The residential energy sector is transforming rapidly, driven by:

• Growing electrification trends (heat pumps, EV charging, induction cooking)

• Smart home adoption of energy management systems

• Net-zero interest in energy homes

• Advanced storage integration

In this evolving landscape, energy checks become even more critical. As homes transform into sophisticated energy ecosystems, understanding a home's energy dynamics becomes essential for effective planning and optimization.

Compelling Business Benefits

By adding energy checks to your solar business, you gain significant advantages:

Better Customer Value: Complete energy solutions that maximize returns and improve home comfort create happy customers who tell others about your business.

Stand Out from Competitors: In a crowded solar market, offering energy advice positions your company as an expert rather than just another panel installer.

More Ways to Make Money: Finding and fixing efficiency problems creates new income beyond solar installation.

Lower Marketing Costs: Happy customers refer more business, so you spend less on expensive lead generation.

Fewer Problem Calls: Setting realistic expectations and ensuring good system performance means fewer complaints and support calls.

Future-Ready Business: Positioning your company as a complete energy solutions provider prepares you for changing customer needs.

Final Thoughts

The solar industry faces real challenges with customer expectations and satisfaction. By using energy checks, you directly solve these problems while building a stronger, more profitable business.

The most successful solar companies won't be those that install the most panels. They'll be the ones that deliver the most value through complete energy solutions. Energy checks are your gateway to becoming that type of company.

By taking time to understand each home's energy use before designing a solar solution, you create better results for your customers and your business. In a market full of transactional solar installers, this approach makes you a trusted partner in your customers' energy journey.

Ready to transform your solar business with energy checks? Contact ResultCalls today to learn how our specialized pay per call solar leads can help you connect with homeowners seeking comprehensive energy solutions from trusted providers like you.

To get more pay per call solar leads today, sign up for free!

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