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The company never coordinated with the local utility company, which meant the family was exporting their solar power rather than using it.
Photo Credit: iStock
A Southern California family says a solar purchase that was supposed to lower household energy costs instead became a yearslong ordeal involving repair issues, customer-service problems, and major uncertainty.
After dealing with roof leaks, a setup issue that reportedly kept the system from storing power properly, and the solar installer’s ultimate bankruptcy, the family said they were left paying out of pocket and wondering who, if anyone, is now responsible for the dysfunctional system.
A Reddit user took to the r/solar forum to discuss issues their parents have had with Freedom Forever Solar. The user explained their parents’ installed solar with the company on their Southern California home in 2023. 
According to the original poster, the company never coordinated with the local utility company, which meant the family was exporting their solar power rather than using it. 
Only after the poster added themselves to the account in late December 2025 did the family begin to see movement, the OP explained. By then, the parents had already spent part of 2025 trying to get help with roof leaks and struggling to reach Freedom Forever Solar support.
The roof trouble did not end there, according to the post. The family said they kept following up through February and March 2026 and sent photos showing a wet ceiling, but support repeatedly said a case would be opened even though “one was never created.”
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Once Freedom Forever Solar went bankrupt in April of 2026, the family said they paid another roofer to handle the roof replacement. The poster wrote that the contractor photographed and documented a number of mistakes that were made by the solar installer. 
When an installer fails to handle essential steps such as utility coordination or roof protection, the consequences can go beyond the system’s energy performance. A poor installation affects the home itself; it can lead to issues like water damage and leave homeowners with unexpected costs even though they believed service and maintenance had already been covered.
Documentation can be critical. Saving contracts, emails, service logs, utility statements, inspection notes, and photos of leaks or equipment problems may help establish what happened and when.
If interconnection or power-flow problems are suspected, it may also help to contact the utility directly and ask for confirmation of how the system is configured.
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To sort out the damage, homeowners may benefit from getting separate assessments of the roof and the solar system. A licensed roofer may be able to pinpoint whether a leak is tied to roof mounts, conduit penetrations, or something else, while an independent solar technician can check whether the equipment is operating safely and as intended.
Families dealing with prepaid service agreements or warranty disputes may also want to review their contracts carefully and consider speaking with a consumer-protection attorney.
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© 2025 THE COOL DOWN COMPANY. All Rights Reserved. Do not sell or share my personal information. Reach us at hello@thecooldown.com.

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