The equipment we'd put on our own homes.
Premium Tier-1 panels, per-panel Enphase microinverters, flashed mounts that protect your roof, and honest design — installed start to finish by one local family crew.
What goes on your roof — and why
A solar system is a 30-year investment, so the components matter as much as the price. iSolar designs every home system around your roof, shading and real usage, using equipment chosen for durability and performance, not the lowest bid. Here's exactly what we install and why.
Built to last 30 Minnesota winters.
Every part is chosen for the long haul — and we'll show you the exact spec sheets before you sign.
Premium Tier-1 panels
Bankable, top-tier monocrystalline modules with 25-year product & performance warranties and a clean all-black look.
Enphase IQ8 microinverters
Per-panel power conversion: shade-tolerant, safer (rapid shutdown), per-panel monitoring, and no single inverter to fail.
Flashed, engineered mounts
UL-listed aluminum racking on manufacturer-approved metal-flashed mounts, lagged into rafters — engineered for MN wind & snow.
Real-time monitoring
See whole-system and per-panel production in the app; alerts go to you and to us so issues get caught early.
Why microinverters beat a string inverter
Most budget installs wire your panels in a string to one central inverter. The problem: the panels share a circuit, so the weakest one — the shaded one, the leaf-covered one — drags down the rest, and that single inverter is one expensive point of failure (usually replaced around year 10–12). Enphase microinverters put a tiny inverter on every panel, so each one produces independently. You get more energy on imperfect roofs, panel-level monitoring that pinpoints any issue, built-in rapid-shutdown safety for firefighters, and a system that's easy to expand. For Minnesota roofs with any shading or multiple roof faces, it's the right call — and it's what we install as standard.
Honest design — not an inflated promise
Here's a difference you won't see until your second year with a cheaper installer: the production estimate. The easy way to win a quote is to show the lab-perfect PVWatts number (often ~145% of real output). We don't. We factor in real-world losses — roughly 16% for snow, heat and shading — and we even account for Minnesota snow days, so the savings figure in your proposal is one you can actually count on. We'd rather under-promise and over-deliver than hand you a number that falls apart in January.
One local crew — no subcontractors.
Custom design
We model your roof, shading and 12-month usage and engineer a system sized to your home.
Permitting & engineering
We pull electrical and building permits and handle structural and utility interconnection paperwork.
Installation
Our own licensed crew installs the racking, panels, microinverters and wiring — usually in a day or two.
Commission & support
We pass inspection, set up monitoring and net metering, and stand behind it for 30 years.
What Minnesotans say.
Real reviews from real iSolar customers — homes, farms and businesses across Minnesota.
“Dan and company at iSolar were great to work with throughout our solar project. Communication was top-notch throughout the planning and install process, and even…”
“10stars!! I am a Sr. Project Manager for Patriot Homes, LLC (a general contractor) The solar panels of a customer of mine needed to be removed and reinstalled to…”
“iSolar installed 15 panels on our home, which has a standing seam metal roof. We have been very pleased with their approach, communication, price and the Solar…”
“Professional and very thorough in follow-up and responses. Their electricians takes time to explain things well and very honest in their pricing. I got an EV…”
“Jon and everyone over at ISolar have been awesome to work with on getting my panels installed and getting me through the different programs offered to me. Jon also…”
“Our experience has been wonderful! We are so happy we made the shift to solar and iSolar was so great to work with at all stages of the process!”
Frequently asked.
What solar panels does iSolar install?
Premium Tier-1 monocrystalline panels — the bankable, top-quartile manufacturers with strong 25-year product and performance warranties. We don't chase the cheapest no-name module; we install panels we'd put on our own homes, with a sleek all-black aesthetic most homeowners prefer.
Why do you use Enphase microinverters instead of a string inverter?
Because they're safer, smarter and more resilient. With Enphase IQ8 microinverters, every panel converts its own power, so shade or debris on one panel doesn't drag down the rest of the array. You get per-panel monitoring, built-in rapid-shutdown safety, no single big inverter to fail in 12 years, and easy expansion later. A traditional string inverter ties panels together so the weakest one sets the pace, and it's a single point of failure.
What racking and mounts do you use?
Engineered aluminum racking (e.g., IronRidge) on flashed, manufacturer-approved roof mounts lag-bolted into your rafters — metal flashing woven under the shingles, not a bead of caulk. It's UL-listed, structurally engineered for Minnesota wind and snow, and installed to protect your roof warranty.
Will my system be battery-ready?
Yes — we design every home system so you can add storage now or later without re-engineering. If you want backup or evening self-use down the road, the foundation is already there.
How do I see what my system is producing?
Through real-time monitoring (the Enphase app) showing whole-system and per-panel production, history and carbon offset. Alerts go to both you and iSolar, so if anything underperforms, we often see it before you do.
Do you use subcontractors?
No. The same licensed local crew that starts your job finishes it — design, permitting, installation, electrical and commissioning, all in-house. No subcontractor shuffle, no mystery hands on your roof.
How is your production estimate different from other quotes?
We quote honestly. Many companies show the inflated lab figure (PVWatts at ~145%); we factor in real-world losses — roughly 16% for snow, heat and shading — and even account for winter snow days, so the number you see is the number you get, not a bait-and-switch.
What size system will I need?
It depends on your roof, shading and actual 12-month usage — not a template. We right-size to offset the large majority of your bill without overbuilding. You'll get a custom design with honest production and savings figures.
Is the whole thing permitted and inspected?
Always — electrical and building permits pulled, code-compliant install, inspection passed, and utility interconnection and net-metering set up before we commission and hand it over.
What warranty backs the equipment?
Every system is covered by the 30-year, insurance-backed Solar Insure warranty (panels, microinverters, labor and roof penetrations), on top of the manufacturers' own warranties — iSolar was the first in Minnesota to offer it.
Home solar across the metro & central Minnesota.
We install residential solar across roughly nine counties and beyond — the Twin Cities metro plus central Minnesota. Not sure if you're in range? Just ask.
See your home's custom design
Free, no-pressure assessment with honest production numbers and the exact equipment we'd install.