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    Solar Panel Decision Coach

    Worth it? Sometimes. Trap? Sometimes. Math first.

    Door-to-door solar salespeople

    Some are reputable, many are NOT. Use them only as a starting point. Always get 3 quotes from companies YOU find. (See our Door-to-Door Scam Defense.)

    When solar makes sense

    • You own your home (not renting).
    • You plan to stay 7+ years.
    • Roof faces south, southeast, or southwest.
    • Roof is younger than 10 years (otherwise, replace before solar).
    • Few trees shading the roof.
    • Your electric bill is over $100/month.
    • You can use the federal tax credit (30% through 2032) — need actual tax liability.

    Buy vs lease vs PPA

    • Cash purchase — best if you have $20-30k. Best return.
    • Solar loan — second-best. You own panels but pay over time.
    • Lease / PPA — solar company owns panels. You "rent" them. Lower upfront cost but tied to your house — can complicate selling. Worse long-term financially.

    Push hard against lease/PPA unless you have NO other choice.

    Get 3 quotes the right way

    1. Use EnergySage.com to compare quotes from vetted installers.
    2. Add a local installer found on Yelp/Better Business Bureau.
    3. Add quote from a national: SunRun, Sunpower, Tesla.
    4. Compare cost per watt — under $3-3.50/watt is competitive.
    5. Verify the system size matches your usage (don\'t oversell — common scam).

    Hidden costs and traps

    • Net metering changes — many states reduced credits in 2024 (CA NEM 3.0). Run NEW math, not old projections.
    • Re-roofing — solar panels last 25 years. Roof should too. Don\'t install solar on an 18-year-old roof.
    • Insurance increase — your homeowners might rise.
    • Property tax — added panels may raise property tax in some states.
    • HOA approval — required in many.
    • Selling the house — leases complicate it. Owned panels are usually fine.

    Free resources

    • EnergySage — neutral marketplace + education.
    • Project Sunroof (Google) — free roof analysis. project-sunroof.withgoogle.com.
    • NREL PVWatts — free DIY production estimator.
    • DSIRE database — finds state and local solar incentives.

    For most

    If your bill is under $100/month or you\'ll move in 5 years — skip solar. If $200+/month, sunny climate, owning, staying — likely worth investigating with 3 honest quotes. Take 6 months to decide. Real solar pays back over 20 years; never let urgency rush you.