Is your home ready for solar? A checklist

What this checklist helps you review

Our Solar Eligibility Checklist is a simple worksheet for homeowners who want to know whether solar is worth exploring. It focuses on the practical details that often affect your options, such as your roof, shade, electric bill, and credit profile.

This is general educational information, not financial advice. We do not install solar or offer leases. SunWise Lease is a free matching service that helps connect you with vetted local solar providers so you can compare offers and decide what fits your home.

The checklist is especially helpful if you are new to solar terms like lease, PPA, and loan. It gives you a clear place to write down what you know, what you still need to ask, and what could make a provider say yes, no, or "it depends."

What is inside the checklist

The worksheet walks you through the main factors that providers often review before offering a solar lease or other solar plan. It is meant to help you get organized before you request quotes or talk to a company.

It covers:
- Roof basics: age of roof, condition, size, shape, and whether you may need repairs or replacement soon
- Shade and sun exposure: trees, nearby buildings, chimneys, and how much direct sunlight your roof gets
- Utility bill details: your average monthly electric use, seasonal highs and lows, and your utility company
- Home ownership and property details: whether you own the home, plan to move soon, or live in an HOA community
- Credit and financing readiness: a general check on whether your credit may meet common lease or loan requirements
- Questions for providers: contract length, payment escalator, maintenance, transfer rules, and who claims tax credits

If you want more help after using it, you can explore our other tools or review plain-language solar articles in our guides.

How to use the checklist

Start with facts you already know. Pull out a recent electric bill, look at your roof from the ground, and note any large trees or parts of the roof that stay shaded during the day. If you know the roof age, write that down too.

Next, fill in the worksheet one section at a time. If you do not know an answer, leave a note instead of guessing. For example, you can write "need to ask roofer" or "need 12 months of utility bills." That makes it easier to have a productive conversation later.

After that, use the worksheet when you compare offers. A good provider should be able to explain how your roof, shade, usage, and utility rates affect your proposal. Get every number in writing. Read the full contract. And never sign on the spot, especially if someone comes door to door or pushes you on the phone.

When you are ready, we can get you matched with vetted local solar providers so you can compare more than one option.

Why these details matter for solar leasing

Solar leases and PPAs often have lower upfront costs than buying a system. That can make them attractive for many households. But approval and pricing may depend on home details, expected production, your utility, and sometimes a credit check.

For example, an older roof may delay a project if repairs are needed first. Heavy shade can reduce production. Lower electric use can make solar less compelling in some cases, while very high use may create more room for solar to offset part of your bill. These outcomes vary by state, utility, roof layout, and contract terms.

It is also important to understand trade-offs. With a lease or PPA, the provider usually owns the system and usually claims the federal tax credit, not the homeowner. Some contracts include an escalator, which means your payment may rise over time. A solar loan or cash purchase may offer more long-term value for some homeowners, but usually comes with more upfront responsibility or cost.

What this checklist cannot tell you

The checklist can help you prepare, but it cannot tell you for sure whether you will be approved, how much you will save, or which solar option is best for you. Solar results vary a lot based on your home, local weather, utility rates, system size, installer assumptions, and contract details.

Think of this download as a starting point, not a promise. It helps you spot common issues early and ask better questions. It does not replace a site visit, roof review, utility analysis, or contract review.

For that reason, we always suggest comparing multiple offers, checking that the production estimate looks reasonable, and asking who is responsible for monitoring, repairs, insurance, and removal if you need roof work later.