Guides
The homeowner's solar field manual.
Short, opinionated guides on the levers that actually move solar payback - how many panels you need, the 30% federal credit, net metering, cost benchmarks, battery storage and installer vetting.
How Many Solar Panels Do I Need? A Simple Sizing Guide
Work out how many solar panels your home needs from your yearly electricity use and your state's sun hours, with a worked example.
Read guide →The 30% Federal Solar Tax Credit, Explained
How the Residential Clean Energy Credit works, what it covers, who qualifies, and how to actually claim it on your return.
Read guide →Net Metering vs. Net Billing vs. Avoided Cost
The single biggest driver of solar payback after the federal credit - how your utility credits the power you export back to the grid.
Read guide →How Much Do Solar Panels Actually Cost?
National and state cost benchmarks in $/watt, what drives the range, and how to spot inflated bids.
Read guide →Do You Need a Home Battery?
When a battery pays for itself, when it doesn't, and how the 30% federal credit changes the math on storage.
Read guide →How to Choose a Solar Installer (Without Getting Burned)
The vetting checklist we run on every SolarPros installer - licensing, insurance, financing disclosure and warranty reality.
Read guide →Solar Payback Period: What's Realistic in 2026
How to model payback honestly - sun hours, utility rate, escalation and net-metering policy all matter more than sticker price.
Read guide →