Is solar worth it for your Illinois home? Find out in 60 seconds.

For many ComEd and Ameren homes, yes — but not all, and not automatically. The federal residential credit (§25D) ended December 31, 2025, yet Illinois' own stack — Illinois Shines REC payments, the $300-per-kW smart-inverter rebate, and supply-only net-metering credits — still stands while supply prices run roughly 50% above two years ago. The honest answer depends on your roof, shade, usage, and utility. Read the full 2026 breakdown — or check your home in about 60 seconds.

No. The eligibility check simply shows whether a full review makes sense for your home. It doesn't commit you to buy, switch suppliers, or sign a contract.

No mass lists. Your information isn't sent to a roster of solar companies — it goes to our review team, and if you schedule a review, to the one company that will conduct it. Calls come from real people at The Day Company who identify themselves, never from AI voice or robocalls, and conversations happen at a time you pick. You can stop contact any time by replying STOP to a text or telling us on a call. See exactly how your data is handled in our privacy policy.

No. The calculator gives illustrative estimates, not a quote or a promise. You control the assumptions, and the figures don't include system price, financing, taxes, or incentives. Your real numbers come from a full review of your specific home.

Yes. The federal residential solar credit (Section 25D) expired December 31, 2025, and doesn't apply to systems purchased with cash or a loan in 2026. Illinois has its own, separate programs — like Illinois Shines — that remain active. Read the full breakdown of what ended and what didn't.

There's no honest one-number answer — cost depends on system size, roof complexity, equipment, and how you pay (cash, loan, or a third-party agreement). With the federal residential credit gone for 2026 cash and loan purchases, the structure of the deal matters more than the sticker price. That's exactly what a full review prices out for your specific home — and why we don't publish teaser numbers we can't stand behind. For the full cost-vs-value picture, read whether solar is worth it in Illinois.

Yes. Illinois Shines — the state's Adjustable Block Program — opened its 2026–27 program year on June 1, 2026 with new capacity. It pays Renewable Energy Credit incentives to approved vendors (for small residential systems, 50% at energization and the remainder over the following six years), and that value may reach you through lower project or power costs, depending on your agreement. Capacity comes in annual blocks, so a review confirms current availability for your utility. See every Illinois incentive that still applies.

It changed. Full retail net metering closed to new ComEd and Ameren residential customers at the end of 2024. New systems earn supply-side credits for the power they export, plus a one-time smart-inverter rebate — currently $300 per kilowatt for residential systems — and unused credits carry forward. The new math changes how a system should be sized, which is one reason the review is utility-specific.

If you don't know your bill, we estimate usage from your home's size and heat source using typical Illinois figures, then apply your utility's rate. It's a starting estimate — if you know your actual bill, that option gives a closer number.

Illinois program details, rates, and review steps differ by utility — ComEd is on the PJM grid and Ameren is on the MISO grid. That's why the first question is which company serves your home.

Generally, no. Illinois' Homeowners' Energy Policy Statement Act (765 ILCS 165) voids outright association bans on rooftop solar and limits what boards can require, with deadlines and remedies written into the statute. Associations keep a say over process — not over whether. Read your full HOA solar rights in Illinois.

Heavy shade is one of the most common honest disqualifiers for rooftop solar. Depending on severity, the answer may be module-level equipment, selective trimming, or skipping rooftop panels entirely — our eligibility check routes heavily shaded homes toward community solar options instead. See when a shaded roof still works — and when it doesn't.

No. The Day Company is an independent Illinois information resource. We publish sourced rate and program data and run the eligibility check — we don't sell, design, install, or finance solar systems. If your home is a genuine fit and you schedule a review, an installation partner conducts it, and any agreement you sign would be with that company. The eligibility check never costs you anything. How we're compensated.

It's the number of unique visitors who started our eligibility check from an Illinois location in July month to day in 2026, counted in our website analytics. It does not count repeat visits by the same person, page views, or people who only used the calculator. We update the figure monthly, keep the underlying analytics on file, and publish this definition so you can judge the number for yourself — most sites showing counts like this never tell you what they mean.