The Complete Guide to Going Solar.
Plan your home solar system the right way, contractor selection, permits, home types, off-grid, EV charging, and maintenance guides all in one place.
trending
View all 31 →
Home Batteries Are Booming Even as Solar Panel Sales Slide
My phone started blowing up in January with texts from homeowners who were furious. They’d waited too long. The 30% federal tax credit was gone, the One Big Beautiful Bill …
The FCC Foreign Inverter Ban: What Homeowners Need to Know
How Florida Became the Fastest-Growing Solar State in a Down Market
Florida Solar Is Booming While the Rest of the US Slumps
Size the battery bank you need to keep power flowing after dark.
Solar Maintenance & Troubleshooting
View all 19 →
Solar Inverter Error Codes: What They Mean and How to Fix Them
Most solar inverter troubleshooting guides online are written by people who’ve never held a multimeter. They list error codes with definitions like “grid fault: grid …
5 Warning Signs Your Solar Microinverter Is Failing
Solar Panel Snow Removal: Safe Methods That Protect Your System
20% Power Loss? Why Solar Panels Stop Producing
Off Grid & Backup Power
View all 18 →
Enphase IQ Battery Review: Performance and Reliability
Three years ago, I wired a 10 kWh Enphase IQ Battery 10 into a client’s new construction home in the East Bay and thought: this is either the cleanest residential storage …
LG Chem RESU: Does This Battery Deliver for Solar?
The Bare Minimum: What Off-Grid Solar Really Needs
Power Your Home During Blackouts With Solar Backup
Estimate how much you could save by switching your home to solar.
Solar for Home Types
View all 15 →
Solar for Tiny Homes: Energy Independence Under 1000 sq ft
Most solar advice assumes you’re sizing a system for a 2,400-square-foot house with a three-car garage, a hot tub, and two teenage kids who leave every light on. If you live …
North Facing Solar Panels: 30% Less Efficient Than South?
Solar Panels for Mid-Century Homes: Retrofitting 1950s-60s Houses
Solar on Tile Roofs: Installation Options and What to Expect
DIY Solar
View all 14 →
DIY Solar Panel Mounting: Save $600-$1,400 Installing Yourself
Forty-three percent of DIY solar installations fail their first inspection. Not because the panels are wired wrong, but because the roof mounting was done incorrectly. I learned …
DIY Solar Installation: Legal Requirements You Must Know
DIY Solar Ground Mount Installation: Step-by-Step Guide
DIY Solar Panels: Which Ones Install Easiest
Solar Planning Tools
View all 14 →
Free Solar System Design Software: Save $5,000+ on Planning
Most homeowners who contact me about solar have already spent three or four hours on a manufacturer’s website, plugging numbers into some locked-down “estimate …
Solar System Design: 8 Key Considerations for Your Home
PVWatts Calculator: Use 9.6 kW Systems to Estimate Solar Output
50% More Solar Power: How Shade Analysis Maximizes Your Panels
Solar Contractor Selection
View all 13 →
Solar Installation Takes 10 to 20 Days: What to Expect
Most homeowners I talk to think solar installation is like getting a new roof: the crew shows up, works a few days, and you’re done. The real number that stops people cold? …
Solar Installer Background Checks: What Companies Must Verify
Solar Installer Warranty: What 80% of Homeowners Don't Know
Local vs National Solar: Which Installer Fits Your Home
Solar and Ev Charging
View all 12 →
Tesla Powerwall and EV Charging: How to Optimize Both
Most people who email me about this setup are sitting on two big purchases at once: a Powerwall they just had installed (or are about to), and an EV either in the driveway or on …
Ford F-150 Lightning: 150-Mile Home Backup Power Game
Bidirectional EV Charging With Solar: Power Your Home Both Ways
Time-Of-Use Rates: The Hidden Solar And EV Advantage
Solar Equipment Deep Dives
View all 11 →
SunPower Solar Panels: 25-Year Warranty & 80% Efficiency
Ninety percent of SunPower panels still performing above their rated output after 25 years. That number stopped me cold the first time I saw it, because most solar manufacturers …
Power Optimizers Worth the Cost: $1,500-$3,200 Analysis
REC Alpha Solar Panels: 430W Output Reviewed
Panasonic EverVolt Solar Panels: Performance & Value
Solar Access & Community
View all 10 →60% of Eligible Homes Miss Out on LIHEAP Solar Benefits
Only about 16% of eligible households actually apply for LIHEAP benefits in any given year. That number, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has sat stubbornly …
Solar for Seniors: How to Go Solar on a Fixed Income
43 States Offer Shared Solar: How to Sign Up Today
How Solar Garden Subscriptions Work For You
Solar Permits & Hoa
View all 9 →Solar Permits by State: Requirements & Process
Most homeowners assume the permit process is the same everywhere. Pull a permit, get an inspection, flip the switch. I thought that too, right up until I was consulting on a …
Solar Interconnection Takes 183 Days: What Delays Your System
Solar Easement Laws: Protection in 38 States
How To Legally Challenge Your HOA's Solar Denial
Solar Policy & Utility Issues
View all 8 →
Save $1,200 Yearly: Time of Use Rates With Solar
Your utility company is making an extra $1,200 a year off solar homeowners who don’t understand time-of-use pricing. That’s not a scare tactic. That’s what …
How Net Metering Changes Affect Your Solar Payback
How Net Metering Rates Compare Across Your State
How Solar Buyback Rates Really Affect Your Returns
Solar Monitoring & Apps
View all 7 →Best Solar Monitoring Systems for Off-Grid Living
Nobody tells you how lonely a dead monitor screen feels at 11 PM when your batteries are reading something that doesn’t make sense and the nearest grid connection is forty …
Solar Production vs Consumption: Track Your Energy Balance
Decode Your Solar Inverter Display in Minutes
SolarEdge Monitoring Platform: Real-World Performance Review
Get useful guides in your inbox
Practical, research-backed. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.