Learning center
Solar questions, answered by electricians
Plain answers on solar in Northern Virginia: older panels, shade, roofs, HOAs, winter output, batteries, leases, and how to judge a solar quote.
Microinverters vs String Inverters
Microinverters vs string inverters compared: shade, rapid shutdown, monitoring, service life, batteries, and which roof suits each. A neutral guide.
ReadHow Long Solar Panels Last and How Fast They Degrade
How long solar panels last, how fast they degrade, what panel warranties cover, and when to replace the inverter. Sourced to DOE and NLR research.
ReadOlder Electrical Panels and Solar
Can a 1960s to 1980s panel take solar? The 120% busbar rule in plain math, fuse boxes, FPE and Zinsco, and when a 200A heavy-up joins the solar job.
ReadSolar Panels on a Lot With Trees
What satellite shade models see and miss on a treed lot, why we measure shade on the roof, and how trimming, array placement, and microinverters compare.
ReadIs Your Roof Right for Solar?
How to tell if your roof is good for solar: which way it faces, pitch, roofing material, age, obstructions, and the fire-code access paths that take space.
ReadReplace the Roof Before Solar, or Not?
Replace the roof first if it will not outlast the panels. How to weigh roof age against a 25 to 35 year array, and how we plan solar around your roofer.
ReadQuestions to Ask a Solar Company
An honest checklist for any solar company: who does the electrical, is it subcontracted, who pulls the permit, who files with Dominion, what is in writing.
ReadRed Flags in a Solar Quote
Warning signs in a solar quote: sizing without a roof look, a homeowner tax credit on a 2026 install, lease output promises, no panel or permit lines.
ReadVirginia HOA Solar Law: What Your Association Can and Cannot Require
Virginia law bars most HOA solar bans. What your association can restrict, the 5 and 10 percent test, condo and townhouse roofs, and how to get approval.
ReadDo Solar Panels Work in Winter in Northern Virginia?
Solar panels work in a Northern Virginia winter at lower output. Modeled monthly production, snow, cold, and how net metering carries summer credits.
ReadDoes Solar Increase Home Value?
Owned solar tends to add value; a lease adds paperwork. What buyers and sellers in Northern Virginia need: net meter transfer, tax exemption, inspection.
ReadHow Much Solar Do I Need?
Size a solar array from the kWh on your bill: annual use divided by about 1,250 kWh per kW. Worked examples, EV and heat pump loads, and Dominion's cap.
ReadDo You Need a Battery With Solar?
Under Dominion's one-to-one net metering, a battery is not needed for bill savings. It earns its place for outage backup. Costs, sizing, and panel work.
ReadSolar vs Generator: Which One Keeps the Lights On?
Solar alone does not run in an outage, a generator runs on fuel, and a battery stores solar. How each backs up a Northern Virginia home, and hookup costs.
ReadBuy or Lease Solar Panels?
Buying solar means you own the panels, SRECs, and net metering credits. A lease or PPA means a 20-year contract. How to decide, and what changes at resale.
ReadSolar-Ready Electrical Panel Upgrade Guide for Northern Virginia
A solar-ready panel is documented busbar capacity, backfeed space, and grounding — not modules on the roof. Plan it with EV and battery loads so you do not replace the panel twice.
ReadHome Battery Electrical Integration Guide for Northern Virginia
Listed wall packs versus a portable generator hookup. What the electrical scope includes, what it costs, and when compatible load-management equipment is worth considering.
ReadSolar Permits & Net Metering in Northern Virginia
Start with the property address: the permit authority and electric utility are separate decisions, and inspection approval is not utility permission to operate.
ReadDo Solar Panels Work During a Power Outage?
No, not by themselves. Standard grid-tied solar shuts down with the grid, even in full sun. A battery and a backup-capable inverter are what keep selected circuits on.
ReadHow to Compare Solar Proposals in Northern Virginia
Compare written scope and risk, not one headline price: equipment, production assumptions, roof and electrical responsibility, approvals, warranties, ownership, and exclusions all matter.
ReadFairfax County Solar Incentives 2026: What Is Left After the Tax Credit
Every Fairfax County solar incentive still standing in 2026, with the official source for each one and a worked payback example for a 10 kW array.
ReadThe 120 Percent Rule for Solar-Ready Panels
How the busbar rating and the main breaker decide how big a backfed solar breaker your panel can take.
Read