Home solar that pays you back.

Yes — and better than most people expect. Solar panels run on light, not heat, so cold, clear Minnesota days are actually some of the most productive of the year (panels are more efficient when they're cold). Snow slides off the smooth glass and our shorter winter days are balanced by long, high-producing summers. We size every system for the full Minnesota year, and Minnesota's net-metering rules let your summer surplus carry into winter.

It depends on your electricity use, your roof and how much you want to offset. As a rough guide, a typical Minnesota home uses 800–1,100 kWh a month and needs roughly 18–28 modern panels to offset most of it. The only accurate way to size it is to look at your last 12 months of usage and your roof — which we do for free, with no obligation.

When your panels make more power than you're using, the extra flows to the grid and your meter effectively runs backward, earning you a credit. You bank credits in sunny months and draw them down in winter. In Minnesota, qualifying residential systems are credited at the retail rate, so a kWh you send out is worth about a kWh you pull back — one of the things that makes solar pencil out here. We handle the interconnection and net-metering paperwork with your utility.

Your savings depend on your usage, your utility rate and your system — so we model your exact numbers in a free assessment rather than quoting a generic figure. In general, the higher your electric bill and the more your utility raises rates, the faster solar pays off. Most of our customers offset the large majority of their bill and then enjoy decades of low, predictable energy costs after payback.

No. The federal residential solar tax credit (Section 25D) ended December 31, 2025 — there is no federal credit for a new homeowner-owned system in 2026. We'll tell you exactly what still applies to your home (utility programs, financing, and the net metering production incentive where available), and we never bake a credit into your numbers that doesn't apply. Commercial and agricultural projects still have the 30% ITC for now.

Most Minnesota roofs are good candidates. The best production comes from south-, east- or west-facing roof planes with minimal shading. North-facing slopes and heavily shaded roofs produce less — but our per-panel Enphase microinverters keep the unshaded panels working even if part of the roof is shaded, and we can coordinate tree trimming where it pays off. Asphalt shingle, metal and flat roofs all work; we'll confirm the best layout in your assessment.

If your roof is near the end of its life, it's best to replace it before (or at the same time as) going solar, so you only pay once to remove and reset panels. Our sister company, Three Rivers Contracting, builds and repairs roofs — so we can coordinate the roof and the solar on one schedule. And if you ever need roof work later, our detach & reset service safely removes and reinstalls your array.

Only if you add a battery. A standard grid-tied solar system shuts off during an outage for safety. Pair your panels with battery storage (like a Tesla Powerwall) and you can keep essential circuits — or your whole home — running through outages, and store daytime production for the evening.

Very little. Rain and snow keep panels reasonably clean, and there are no moving parts to wear out. We recommend a periodic visual check, and every iSolar install includes a free 1-year inspection (panels, inverters, wiring, racking, roof seals) plus real-time monitoring that alerts both you and us if anything ever looks off.

Panels are mounted at an angle on smooth glass, so snow typically slides off on its own and clears faster than the surrounding roof. The small amount of winter production lost to snow is already factored into our estimates — we don't quote you inflated lab numbers.

Quality panels are warrantied for production for decades and routinely last 30+ years. The bigger question is who stands behind the labor and parts — which is why every iSolar system carries the insurance-backed Solar Insure SI-30 warranty: 30 years on panels, microinverters, labor and roof penetrations, plus a 20-year battery warranty, backed by Zurich. You're covered even if iSolar isn't around in year 30.

Owned solar is generally viewed as a home improvement that can add value and appeal — a buyer inherits lower energy bills on a system that's already paid down. Because we don't do leases or PPAs, there's no lease for a buyer to assume, and the Solar Insure warranty transfers to the new owner at no cost.

Premium Tier-1 panels paired with Enphase IQ8 microinverters (so each panel produces independently), on quality racking and mounts. We recommend only equipment we'd put on our own homes, and we design, install and service it ourselves — no subcontractors.

From signed proposal to power-on is usually a couple of months, most of which is permitting and utility interconnection rather than install time — the physical installation is often done in a day or two. We keep you updated at every step.

Yes. You can pay cash or finance through partners like Affinity, One Ethos or MNCEE — and you own the system either way. We don't do leases or PPAs for homeowners, so you keep all the savings and value.