Solar decision guides

Work through it in this order. Roof: if it needs replacing within about a decade, reroof first. Sun: heavy shade from mature trees or a north-facing main plane can undercut the whole case. Rate: the higher your cost per kWh, the faster solar pays. Export rules: full-retail net metering and a low-value export tariff produce very different outcomes for the same hardware.

The economics changed in 2026. The IRS states the Section 25D residential credit is not allowed for expenditures made after December 31, 2025 — so a purchased system costs roughly 30% more out of pocket than the same system did in 2025. That does not automatically make solar a bad buy, but it does mean any advice or calculator written before 2026 will overstate your return.

It is reasonable to say no. If you plan to move in a few years, if your electricity is cheap, if your roof is complicated, or if your utility pays little for exports, waiting is a legitimate answer. So is spending the money on insulation, air sealing, or a heat pump instead — those often beat solar on dollars saved per dollar spent.

How to choose

Start with your utility bill

Pull twelve months of kWh usage and your effective rate per kWh. Everything downstream depends on those two numbers.

Find out how your utility credits exports

Ask directly whether it is full-retail net metering, a net-billing tariff, or an avoided-cost rate. This is the biggest single variable in your payback.

Settle the roof question first

A roof with under ten years left should be replaced before panels go on it.

Model the 2026 reality, not old numbers

Any payback calculation that assumes a 30% federal credit on a purchase is wrong for installations completed after 2025.

Check state and local programs

Federal support ended for purchases, but state, utility and local incentives vary enormously. DSIRE lists what exists for your zip code.