Storing solar lights properly over winter protects their batteries, housings, and electronics from cold-weather damage that can cut their working life short. Whether you bring lights in every year or leave some types outdoors depends on the light’s construction and your climate. Here’s how to approach winter storage for each type. Should You Store Solar Read more »
Solar lights are designed to work automatically, but sometimes they stop functioning the way they should. Lights that won’t turn on, stay on all the time, or behave erratically often just need a reset. The good news: resetting solar lights is almost always simple, and you don’t need any tools to do it. This guide Read more »
Choosing the right size solar system for your home is one of the most important decisions in your solar journey. Too small and you’ll miss out on savings. Too large and you’re wasting money on panels you don’t need. Figuring out your ideal system size isn’t as complicated as it sounds. This guide walks you Read more »
Solar panel warranties typically last 25 years. But when a panel warranty expires at 25 years, the panel doesn’t stop working. It doesn’t suddenly become useless. The warranty ends, but the solar panel’s life goes on. This guide covers what really happens to solar panels after 25 years of service: degradation rates, why panels still Read more »
If you’re thinking about solar but don’t know where to start, this guide is for you. We’ve stripped away the jargon and explained solar energy in plain language so you understand what solar panels actually do, how they work, what a complete solar system includes, and how to get started. By the end, you’ll have Read more »
Solar panels are designed to last 25 to 30 years, which means the first large wave of residential panels installed in the 2000s is now reaching the end of its operational life. This raises an important question: what happens to solar panels when they’re retired? And how can the solar industry dispose of this equipment Read more »
A solar panel feasibility study assesses whether a solar installation makes technical and financial sense for a specific site before committing to the project. For residential and small commercial projects, most of this assessment happens informally during the installer quote process. For larger commercial and utility-scale projects, a formal feasibility study is a distinct deliverable Read more »
The sun is shining on your roof, but your solar panels might not be capturing all the energy they could. Whether you’re looking to maximize returns on your solar investment or reduce your electricity bills further, there are practical steps you can take right now to boost your system’s output. The good news: many of Read more »
Our blog is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thank you for your support! Going solar is one of the smartest decisions a homeowner can make. You’ll reduce your electricity bills, increase your home’s value, and help protect the environment. But if you’ve never installed solar Read more »
Community solar lets you benefit from solar power without installing panels on your own home. You subscribe to a share of a local solar farm, and the energy credits appear on your electricity bill each month. It’s an option that’s opened up clean energy to renters, condo owners, and homeowners whose roofs aren’t suitable for Read more »