Northwest Exteriors offers home improvement products to residential customers in Sonoma, Marin, Napa, Lake, Mendocino and Solano Counties. The company provides energy-efficient windows, doors and siding.
When a customer first contacts Northwest Exteriors about a home improvement project, a company specialist begins by setting up a free in-home evaluation. A representative then weighs the customer's personal, environmental and financial goals to propose a custom solution from a choice of different manufacturers. “We’ll analyze our customers’ wants and needs to determine the best possible products that will benefit them the most,” says General Manager Rick Pellhum.
Northwest Exteriors’ representatives are familiar with government programs and financing solutions, and they ensure homeowners have everything they need to maximize available incentives and affordably install their projects. The company is also a Master Distributor of Anlin Window Systems and installs CraneBoard and James Hardie siding products.
“We never compromise when it comes to customer satisfaction. We aim to deliver quality materials and follow-through services that assure our customers we're the correct choice should a need arise in the future. In keeping with that goal, we don't take on more work than we can handle so we can deliver a quality product and experience each time.”
Before taking on a solar installation, make sure you know the reliability of the system you’re considering. When it comes to solar systems, “reliability” essentially means the number of years a system will last while operating under normal conditions. Many solar manufacturers claim their products have passed rigorous industry certifications like UL and IEC, but those certifications are only for safety—they don’t guarantee consistent, long-lasting performance. Solar reliability can be affected by numerous factors, including:
Temperature fluctuations. If your area experiences extreme heat and frost or large amounts of rainfall at various times throughout the year, your solar panels can be negatively affected. Solar panels have metal electrical connectors, so expansion and contraction caused by changes in temperature can make these connectors break long before they should.
Moisture and humidity. Fog, snow, rain, wet summer heat and general moisture can corrode the internal metal components of your solar panels. Also, when moisture combines with the silicon in solar cells, it can reduce their power output.
Heavy loads. Over time, snow, hail and even wind can place extra stress on solar panels and cause them to crack, which ultimately reduces their power output. Also, cracked solar panels tend to heat up quicker, which will accelerate their aging.
Shade. If your solar panels are covered by dust, dense foliage, leaves or other refuse, it can lead to significant power loss. In conventional solar cells, even partial shading on a single cell can affect the production of an entire panel.
When shopping for a solar system to install on your property, it’s important to remember that there are now third-party agreements available that effectively eliminate the large upfront payment. “You lease a solar system and pay for a long-term warranty, which essentially means you’re buying insurance on the entire system,” explains Rick Pellhum, General Manager of Northwest Exteriors in Santa Rosa. “About 70 percent of new solar installations use this third-party agreement.”
Mr. Pellhum also suggests starting out by installing a small solar system and then expanding it as your electrical usage increases. “Solar companies can now install multiple enphase micro inverters that process and monitor each panel, which is different from the previous method of a single inverter for all the panels,” he says. “This makes it very easy to add on to the system if your future energy needs require it.”
Home improvement companies are always looking for ways to distinguish themselves from their competition, and those that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award are already several steps ahead. In addition to its Diamond Certified status, Northwest Exteriors sets itself apart by acting as a one-stop shop for a wide variety of energy-efficient products, including solar systems, windows, doors, patio covers and sun roofs. According to General Manager Rick Pellhum, this all-inclusive approach to home improvement has allowed the company to develop a loyal clientele base that extends throughout California, Nevada and Hawaii. "We've been doing this for more than 20 years, so we know exactly what it takes to ensure the quality of every project," he says.
Unlike less experienced home improvement companies that overpromise and under deliver in an attempt to increase their profits, Northwest Exteriors prides itself on fulfilling every contract on schedule and doing the job right the first time. "We want every client to be 100 percent satisfied, so as soon as their project is complete, we ask them to evaluate everything from our sales presentation to the quality of our materials," explains Mr. Pellhum. "That way, if we discover something isn't satisfactory about our performance, we can take immediate action and make it better."
To further differentiate itself from its competition, Northwest Exteriors only uses high-quality products made by some of the top manufacturers in the industry, including solar systems from SunPower; windows and doors from Ply Gem, Anlin and Milgard; siding from Craneboard, James Hardie and CertainTeed; and sunrooms and patio covers from Metals USA. "We want our customers to know that we'll never cut corners, and a big part of that is using the highest grade products available," says Mr. Pellhum. "We never compromise when it comes to quality."
