SunFreshs helps homeowners work out whether solar makes sense before talking to a salesperson. Rough out your savings, compare panel types and learn the questions to ask - free, independent and with nothing to sell.
Estimate My Savings Read the Homeowner GuidesEnter your bill and roof details to get a rough, homeowner-level estimate. Use it to sanity-check quotes, not as a quote.
The three panel types you are most likely to see on a residential quote, and what the differences mean for your roof.
Made from single silicon crystals. Highest efficiency and longest lifespan.
Made from multiple silicon fragments. Good balance of cost and performance.
Thin layers of photovoltaic material on substrate. Lightest and most flexible option.
Plug in the price from a real quote and any incentives you actually qualify for to see a simple payback estimate.
The basics every homeowner should read before signing a solar contract.
A clear explanation of how photovoltaic solar panels convert sunlight into electricity, from the physics to your household power grid.
Read the guide →A realistic analysis of solar savings potential — how to calculate your payback period, what affects ROI, and what to expect from net metering.
Read the guide →Compare monocrystalline vs polycrystalline vs thin-film solar panels and understand which type is best for your specific rooftop and energy needs.
Read the guide →A clear comparison of the three main ways to finance a solar installation — cash purchase, solar loan, solar lease, and power purchase agreement.
Read the guide →What to look for in a solar installer, how to compare quotes, and the red flags that signal a company to avoid.
Read the guide →An honest analysis of home battery storage — what batteries can and can't do, the costs involved, and when adding storage to a solar system makes fina
Read the guide →Going solar is usually one of the larger purchases a household makes, yet many people decide after a single sales visit. SunFreshs exists to slow that process down just enough for you to understand your own numbers. The steps below are the order we suggest working through the site.
A home system is mainly panels, an inverter (or microinverters) and the mounting and wiring that connect them to your electrical panel and the grid. Our guide on how solar panels work covers the basics, and choosing panels explains what matters on a quote.
The strongest candidates have a sound roof with plenty of unshaded area, meaningful electricity bills and a utility that credits exported power fairly. Weak spots - heavy shade, a roof near the end of its life, or very low usage - do not always rule solar out, but they change the maths.
Use the savings calculator above with your real bill and local electricity rate. The result is deliberately simple: it ignores many details an installer will model, so treat it as a sense-check. Our article on how much you can save explains the factors behind the estimate, and net metering explained covers how exported power is credited.
Cash, loans, leases and power purchase agreements each shift costs and risks differently. Read the financing comparison before you sign anything, and check current incentives yourself - they have changed significantly in recent years.
Get several written quotes and compare them line by line using our installer guide. After installation, the maintenance guide explains what to keep an eye on.
SunFreshs is an independent informational site. We do not sell, finance or install solar, and nothing here is financial, tax or engineering advice. See our disclaimer.