Windfree Solar Review
Solar, battery and EV charger installerBased in Chicago, IllinoisProfile updated October 14, 2026
Is Windfree Solar a good choice?
Windfree Solar fits Chicagoland homeowners who want a local installer that handles Illinois incentive paperwork. It says it has been headquartered in Chicago since 2009 and is an Illinois Solar for All approved vendor. A 2025 warranty post on its site describes a 30-year system warranty through Solar Insure, including labor and resealing around roof mounts. It names no lender, so get the warranty certificate and the financing terms in writing.
- Price
- Quote required; its pages give only a general Chicago-area range. Costs
- Coverage
- IL: Chicago and the Chicagoland area. Service area
- Warranty
- 30-year system warranty through Solar Insure, per a 2025 company post. Warranty
Your request goes to companies that serve your ZIP. It may not include Windfree Solar. To reach Windfree Solar directly, use the contact details on this page.
On this page
Why choose Windfree Solar, and why you might not
What Windfree does well, and where to be careful, compared with the installers it competes with most.
Reasons to choose Windfree
Its warranty runs 30 yearsA 2025 post on its site describes a 30-year warranty through Solar Insure, another company. It covers work and parts, has no deductible, and passes free to a buyer. Certasun lists 10 years on its work.
It reseals around the panel mountsThe same 2025 post says the warranty covers resealing the roof right around the bolts that hold the panels. That helps with leaks where the panels are bolted to the roof.
It helps with Illinois programsWindfree says it has been based in Chicago since 2009. It says it is approved for Illinois Solar for All, and it handles the paperwork for state programs.
Owners praise its help after the installIts head-office Google listing shows 4.6 from 117 reviews. Good reviews describe staff who got a warranty part and fixed a hidden battery fault.
Reasons to look at others
Check that the 30-year warranty still appliesThe 30-year warranty comes from a 2025 post, and we could not confirm it still comes with every new system. Ask for the warranty certificate in writing, also if you rent or take a PPA.
It does not name its lendersWindfree offers a loan with nothing down, renting the panels, and a PPA (you pay for the power; the company owns the panels). It names no lender, leasing company or terms. Ask who you will pay.
No brands or license numbersWindfree names no panel or inverter brand, only Enphase batteries. It prints no Illinois license number. Ask for the exact models and its license number.
Some reviews describe no-shows and battery troubleIts negative reviews describe billing errors, repeated no-shows, an install that took five months, and two battery systems that did not work as expected. Ask who services battery systems.
Windfree Solar reviews: what customers say
Each review site shows its own score; we read them on October 12 and 13, 2026 and do not combine them or add our own rating.
- Google4.6 / 5117 reviews · Chicago, IL office listing only, not company-wideRead reviews
The five positive reviews below praise knowledgeable staff and strong support after installation, including a warranty part secured and a hidden battery fault fixed. The five negative reviews describe billing errors, slow SREC paperwork, repeated no-shows, an install that took five months, a feeder cable tap one owner says arced, and two battery systems that did not work as expected. These are issues to ask about, not a measure of how often they happen. Ask Windfree who services battery backup systems.
5 recent 5-star reviews
“Everyone we worked with was knowledgeable, friendly, and professional, and our questions were always answered promptly throughout the entire process.”
Lindsey M. · Read on Google
“Great support post installation.”
Mihai P. · Read on Google
“Thanks to Cynthia, our complex and expensive solar power system—complete with battery backup—is up and running despite buggy equipment and installation errors!”
Ilya G. · Read on Google
“Cynthia was very professional and knowledgeable with our panels and connections!”
Irene A. · Read on Google
“Eric was very helpful/informative throughout the entire process, and the installation went smoothly for the most part.”
Zach J. · Read on Google
5 recent 1- and 2-star reviews
“Installlers did NOT use ANY fall protection on the 20’ high roof.”
Ricky L. · Read on Google
“Multiple times they no showed on me – no respect for my time.”
Daniel F. · Read on Google
“The install process seemed very slow, I signed a contract on 4/12 and they didn't install the system until 9/22, so I missed that entire summer of solar production.”
Jim · Read on Google
“When Windfree Solar’s expensive solar/battery backup system and service team were put to the test when the grid went down, they failed miserably.”
Scott B. · Read on Google
“And now, the app and the battery they installed are not working as intended.”
Simousse · Read on Google
How we picked these: the five newest 5-star and the five newest 1- or 2-star reviews with written text on Google and Trustpilot, as of October 2026 (117 reviews read, back to Nov 9, 2018). We found no Trustpilot page for Windfree Solar on October 12, 2026. Each quote is one sentence, word for word. Picking the highest and lowest ratings shows the range of experiences; it is not a representative sample, and we did not verify what reviewers describe.
How much does Windfree Solar cost?
Windfree Solar does not publish its own system price; its residential page gives only a general Chicago-area range before incentives. Ask for an itemized quote showing the cash price, system size and equipment models, the Adjustable Block Program payment it assumes, and for financing, the financed total with APR and fees. For state price ranges, see our solar panel cost guide; for how the plans compare, see loans, leases and PPAs.
Solar loan ($0 down)
You own itIts homepage offers $0-down financing, and its 2025 warranty post says it offers loans through financing partners. No lender or terms are named.
Lease
Ask who owns itNamed in its 2025 warranty post without a provider or terms. Ask who owns the system and what you pay monthly.
PPA
Ask who owns itNamed in its 2025 warranty post without a provider or terms. Ask who owns the system, the rate and any escalator.
Plans as described on Windfree Solar’s homepage and residential page (read October 13, 2026) and its 30-year warranty post (dated March 24, 2025, read October 14, 2026). No lender, lessor or terms are named.
Windfree Solar says it uses Tier 1 panels and hybrid inverters, and installs battery systems including Enphase (residential page). It names no panel or inverter brand. Your written proposal should list the exact panel, inverter and battery models, the system size in kilowatts (kW) and the forecast yearly production in kilowatt-hours (kWh).
What does Windfree Solar’s warranty cover?
Coverage | What Windfree publishes | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
Solar panels | Covered by its 30-year Solar Insure warranty, per its 2025 post | Confirm in your proposal: the panel maker’s own term and that your Solar Insure certificate lists the panels. |
Panel output | Its 2025 post says the warranty covers performance; no output level is published | Confirm in your proposal: the output guarantee and what happens if the system underproduces. |
Inverter | Covered by its 30-year Solar Insure warranty, per its 2025 post | Confirm in your proposal: the inverter model; the post says hybrid inverters must be registered with Solar Insure for full coverage. |
Battery | Covered for 30 years, with one replacement if capacity falls below 50% in years 11 to 30, per its 2025 post | Confirm in your proposal: the battery model and its maker’s term. |
Labor and workmanship | 30 years of labor and materials coverage through Solar Insure, with no deductible and a free transfer to a buyer, per its 2025 post | Confirm in your proposal: that the Solar Insure warranty is included in your contract and who you call for claims. |
Roof penetrations | Resealing and reflashing within 3 inches of panel mounts, per its 2025 post | Confirm in your proposal: who pays for interior water damage, and that removing panels for a re-roof is excluded. |
Terms as described in Windfree Solar’s 30-year warranty post, dated March 24, 2025 and read October 14, 2026. It has no warranty page. The warranty is provided through Solar Insure. Your signed agreement and warranty certificate decide what applies.
The post says the warranty does not cover systems other installers built, fire, theft, hail or other natural disasters, damage during installation, or removing panels for a new roof, and covers only products on its approved list.
Where does Windfree Solar operate, and which licenses were checked?
Windfree Solar’s homepage says it has installed solar throughout the Chicagoland area, and its residential page refers to homes across the Midwest and ComEd customers (read October 13, 2026). Its project pages also show commercial and community solar elsewhere in Illinois. A listed area does not mean every address qualifies or that EcoGen can connect you with Windfree Solar there.
Showing Chicago, IL (headquarters)
Office address (1)
- Chicago, IL (headquarters)5022 W. Foster Ave, Chicago, IL 60630Show on mapOpen in Google Maps
Address from Windfree’s website, read October 13, 2026.
Licenses
We have not checked Windfree’s licenses in a state registry yet, and its website does not list license numbers we could match. Check the license yourself under the exact business name on your contract. A license check confirms registration, not workmanship quality.
Illinoisno number publishedNot published
- License
- Contractor or electrical license
- Number
- Not published
- Registry check
- Not checked by us
- Note
- The homepage says it has been “a fully licensed, certified EPC in Illinois since 2009” but prints no number (read October 13, 2026). Illinois electrical licensing is set locally, so ask for the license for your town.
Windfree Solar’s about page says it is a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and an IPA-certified Equity Eligible Contractor (EEC), and its homepage says it is an Illinois Solar for All approved vendor. A June 29, 2026 post says it is a Certified Provider through Solar Insure. These are company statements; we did not verify them.
Windfree Solar compared with three other installers
Each of these three also serves Illinois, Windfree’s only state. Certasun is a Chicago-area installer, and All Energy and Eagle Point are Midwest installers that offer loans. Every fact comes from the company profiles linked below.
| Windfree SolarThis page | Certasun | All Energy Solar | Eagle Point Solar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Chicago homes, with help on Illinois program paperwork | One local crew for panels, battery and car charger | Solar and roofing, with several ways to pay | Homes and farms, with named loan partners |
| Head office | Chicago, IL | Buffalo Grove, IL | St. Paul, MN | Dubuque, IA |
| States shared with Windfree | Its only state | 1: IL | 1: IL | 1: IL |
| Roofing | Not listed | Not listed | Yes | Not listed |
| Ways to pay | Nothing-down loan, rent, PPA | Buy, loan, rent, prepaid plan | Buy, home equity loan, rent, PPA, prepaid plan | Loan, home equity line |
| Labor warranty | 30 years via Solar Insure (2025 post) | 10 years | Mentioned, term not listed | 5 years |
| Roof leak warranty | Resealing near mounts (2025 post) | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed separately |
| Brands named | Enphase (batteries) | REC, Enphase, Tesla, FranklinWH | Enphase, SolarEdge, Tesla (no standard panel) | Logos only: JA Solar, Enphase, Tesla, others |
| Google score* | 4.6 (117 reviews) | No Google listing found | 4.8 (1,356 reviews) | 4.5 (201 reviews) |
*Each Google score is for the company’s head-office listing only, read October 12 and 13, 2026.
Full profiles: Certasun · All Energy Solar · Eagle Point Solar
Before choosing Windfree Solar
Ask for these in writing:
- An itemized quote with the cash price and the financed total, including the APR and all fees.
- The exact panel, inverter and battery models, the system size in kW and the forecast yearly production in kWh.
- The warranty documents for your payment plan: panels, inverter, labor and roof penetrations.
- Your local service contact, and who handles utility approval and warranty claims.
- The exact company on the contract, such as Windfree Solar, and its license for your state.
Before you sign, read the quote line by line and bring our questions to ask a solar installer.
Ready to compare proposals?
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How we researched this profile
We read Windfree Solar’s own pages on October 13, 2026: homepage, about, residential solar, services, going solar, energy storage, Switch Together Chicagoland and site policies. On October 14, 2026 we read its 30-year warranty post, two 2026 posts on licensing and installer choice, and its areas page, and checked its claimed Google listing. We did not check its licenses in a registry. We did not buy a system, request a quote, visit an office or interview customers. Windfree Solar did not review this page.
Our installer methodology explains what we check.
Sources (9)
- Windfree Solar: Homepage (address, financing, certifications), read October 13, 2026
- Windfree Solar: About, read October 13, 2026
- Windfree Solar: Residential solar (FAQ, warranty statement), read October 13, 2026
- Windfree Solar: Services, read October 13, 2026
- Windfree Solar: Energy storage, read October 13, 2026
- Windfree Solar: Switch Together Chicagoland, read October 13, 2026
- Windfree Solar: 30-year complete solar warranty post (March 24, 2025), read October 14, 2026
- Windfree Solar: Licensed solar contractor post (Solar Insure certified provider), read October 14, 2026
- Windfree Solar’s claimed Google Business listing (5022 W Foster Ave, Chicago, listed as Windfree Solar Co), read October 14, 2026