Research, methodology & disclosures
How to understand Living With Solar’s content, commercial relationships, and homepage calculator.
Policy published: September 30, 2026. This date applies to this policy, not every guide on the site.
What Living With Solar does
Living With Solar provides educational resources about residential solar equipment, costs, and questions to ask before an installation. It also offers a quote request route. Installation services, equipment, warranties, and payment terms are provided by the company you choose.
Our guides and calculator are research aids. They do not replace a roof assessment, an itemized proposal, or advice from a qualified tax, electrical, or financial professional.
Who is responsible
Aizaz Shahid — Founding Editor.
Sophia Green — Founder.
Harvey S — Managing Partner.
These are editorial and business roles. They do not establish electrical licensing, engineering credentials, or solar certifications. Meet the team or contact us with a question or correction.
Our research standards
Our standards are to:
- Prefer government, utility, program administrator, and manufacturer documents for rules and specifications.
- Identify the source, date, location, and assumptions behind material price or incentive claims.
- Distinguish a research guide from a hands-on test, and publish testing evidence when a test is claimed.
- Avoid unsupported savings guarantees, customer totals, ratings, endorsements, or professional credentials.
- Correct material errors and identify substantive changes, rather than changing dates simply to suggest freshness.
These are the standards we expect content to meet. A guide’s publication date alone does not establish that its prices or program rules remain current; confirm them with the provider or program administrator before acting.
How the homepage calculator works
The monthly planner uses four values: your current bill, the electricity cost offset percentage, fixed utility charges, and your entered monthly solar payment. Selecting a state opens a relevant cost guide; it does not look up your tariff or predict your roof’s production.
Remaining utility bill = fixed charges + (current bill − fixed charges) × (1 − offset / 100).
Total monthly scenario = remaining utility bill + monthly solar payment.
Monthly change = current bill − total monthly scenario.
The default example is a $180 bill, 65% offset, $15 in fixed charges, and no monthly solar payment. It produces a $72.75 utility bill and a $107.25 monthly reduction in that example. Those defaults are illustrative assumptions, not a home-specific forecast.
The planner excludes up-front system cost, maintenance, replacement costs, future rate changes, incentives, and financing details beyond the payment you enter. It does not calculate lifetime savings or payback. The calculator itself does not submit the entered amounts; the separate quote form collects information when you choose to submit it.
How the site earns revenue
Living With Solar can earn revenue from quote referrals. That commercial relationship gives readers a reason to examine recommendations and proposal terms carefully. A quote link is a commercial route, not evidence that a provider is the best fit for your home.
Editorial content should explain its reasoning and sources. Payment alone does not establish expertise, product quality, or installer suitability. Compare proposals and verify the provider’s licensing, insurance, references, and warranties yourself.
Read the privacy policy and terms before submitting personal information.
Primary sources to verify
- U.S. Department of Energy: Homeowner’s Guide to Solar — equipment, planning, and installer questions.
- IRS: Residential Clean Energy Credit — federal eligibility and timing rules.
- Your utility and the relevant state program administrator — current rate schedules, export rules, and local program terms.
- The manufacturer’s current specifications and warranty documents — the exact equipment in your proposal.
These organizations are information sources. Their inclusion does not mean they endorse or partner with Living With Solar.
Corrections and content assistance
To report a problem, send the page URL, the claim that needs attention, and a supporting primary source through our contact page. We can then assess and correct the issue.
AI assistance was used to develop this homepage’s layout, copy, and calculator presentation. Automated output is not proof of accuracy; the calculator’s sample cases, validation, links, and rendered page have been checked separately.