Built from real complaint records

What goes wrong with home solar, and how to stay out of it

We read the public complaint records of ten solar companies across eight states, sorted what actually went wrong, and wrote the answers. No company is named — these are patterns, and plenty of solar is installed well.

Activation & PTO The Panels Are Up But Nothing Is On Installing solar and being allowed to use it are two different events, weeks or months apart. Almost nobody is told that before they sign. 8 min read · 6 questions answered Production & promises Will Solar Actually Cover Your Electric Bill? Sometimes. The gap between what gets promised at the kitchen table and what arrives on the meter is the most common source of solar regret. 9 min read · 6 questions answered Tax credits & incentives The Solar Tax Credit Changed — Read This Before You Sign The 30% federal credit for systems you buy yourself ended for installations after 31 December 2025. If a salesperson is still quoting it, that is the whole conversation. 8 min read · 6 questions answered Roof & installation Solar Panels and Your Roof A solar array puts hundreds of holes through the one surface of your house whose whole job is keeping water out. Then it sits there for twenty-five years. 8 min read · 6 questions answered Orphaned systems Your Solar Company Went Out of Business It has happened to hundreds of thousands of American households since 2024. Most of what you own still works, and more of your warranty survives than people assume. 8 min read · 6 questions answered Before you sign 16 Questions to Ask Before You Sign a Solar Contract Solar is the largest and longest commitment on this site — twenty-five years of equipment, often twenty years of finance. Every question here comes from a documented complaint. 10 min read · 7 questions answered

Sources are public complaint records published by the recipient, plus published tax-law changes and industry closure data. Quotes are verbatim and attributed no more specifically than by state. Nothing here is tax, legal or financial advice — verify anything affecting your money with a qualified professional.