Solar Answers → Your Home & Roof
Is my house good for solar in Illinois?
Your house is likely a good fit if you own it and your roof faces south, east or west. The roof should get little shade in the middle of the day and have years of life left. Your electrical panel also needs room for solar. If ComEd or Ameren is your utility, you get net metering and a $300-per-kW rebate on top of Illinois Shines credits. The 8-point checker below shows where your home stands in about a minute.
Most homes that can get solar share a few simple traits. This page walks through all eight, in plain words. Each one says what's a good sign, what needs a closer look, and what you can do about it.
Independent public sources we cite and link — The Day Company is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them. We are an Illinois solar and battery information resource and a lead-generation business.
The 8-point checklist at a glance
Swipe the table sideways to see every column →
| Check | Good sign | Needs a closer look |
|---|---|---|
| 1. You own the home | You own it, or you're buying it | You rent, or an HOA has rules to follow |
| 2. Your utility | ComEd or Ameren | A co-op or city-owned utility |
| 3. Roof direction | South, east, west, or a flat roof | Only north-facing roof sections |
| 4. Shade | Little shade from about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. | Tall trees or buildings shade the roof most of the day |
| 5. Roof age | Newer roof with many years left | A roof that will need replacing soon |
| 6. Roof space | A large open area on a sunny side | Lots of vents, skylights or dormers in the way |
| 7. Electrical panel | A 200-amp panel | A 100- to 150-amp panel |
| 8. Your electric use | Monthly bills of about $75 or more | Very small bills |
A "closer look" item rarely rules a home out. Most have a common fix, covered in each section below.
Check your home in about a minute
Answer eight quick questions. You'll see which checks look good, which need a closer look, and what to do next.
Want a real answer for your roof? The free eligibility check takes about a minute. Your answers here come with you, so you won't have to repeat them.
Check my eligibility →Nothing you choose is sent or stored by this page — it all runs in your browser. If you continue to the eligibility check, a few of your answers come with you so you don't have to retype them. This is a quick guide, not an inspection: only a site visit can confirm your roof, shade and panel.
1. Do you need to own your home to get solar?
Yes. The owner decides what goes on the roof, so solar starts with owning the home.
If you're buying a home, you can plan solar for after you close. If you rent, the owner would need to install it — this page is a good one to share with them. Solar you own adds value when you sell; here's how a sale works with panels on the roof: selling a house with solar in Illinois.
Have an HOA? Illinois law stops homeowner associations from banning solar. An HOA can set rules about where panels go, but not rules that cut your system's output by more than 10%. The full rules, and the letters to send if a board stalls: can an HOA block solar in Illinois?
2. Does it matter which utility you have?
It matters for how you're paid for extra power. It doesn't decide whether you can get the state's solar credits.
ComEd and Ameren customers get net metering, which credits you for power your panels send to the grid. Both utilities also pay a $300-per-kW rebate for qualifying systems. How the credits work: ComEd net metering, Ameren net metering, and the ComEd solar rebate.
Co-op and city-utility customers can still join Illinois Shines, the state program that pays for your system's solar credits. But co-ops and city utilities don't have to offer net metering, and each one sets its own rules for crediting extra power. Call yours before you sign anything. How the state program works: Illinois Shines, explained.
3. Which way should your roof face for solar?
South is best, but east and west work too. The U.S. Department of Energy says panels do best on south-facing roofs with a slope of 15 to 40 degrees, though other roofs can work.
- South: the most sun all year.
- East or west: still worth it for many homes. These roofs can make about a quarter less power than a south-facing roof.
- Flat: panels can be tilted on racks to face south.
- North only: the weakest direction. A site check will show whether another part of your roof works better.
Pitch, material and condition matter too: solar roof requirements in Illinois.
4. How much shade is too much?
Midday shade matters most. Panels make most of their power from about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., so shade in those hours costs the most.
A little morning or evening shade is usually fine. Tall trees or a nearby building that shade the roof most of the day can cut output a lot. Trimming trees often fixes it. How much shade is too much, and what can be done: is your roof too shaded for solar? Output also dips in the darker months: how solar performs through an Illinois winter.
5. Is your roof too old for solar?
If your roof will need replacing soon, replace it first. That's the advice of the University of Illinois Extension and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Solar panels usually come with about a 25-year warranty. Taking them off and putting them back to re-roof later costs extra. So if your roof has only a few years left, it's usually cheaper to do the roof and the solar together. An installer should check your roof's condition before quoting. Illinois hail is a fair question too: do solar panels survive Illinois hail?
6. How much roof space do you need?
A typical Illinois home needs about a 7 kW system. That's roughly 17 to 20 panels, or about 350 to 450 square feet of open roof.
Vents, skylights, chimneys and dormers take space away. If your roof is small, fewer panels can still help, and high-efficiency panels fit more power in less space. A ground-mounted system is another option, though it costs more — about $0.40 more per watt in Berkeley Lab's price data. Your own size depends on your usage: what size solar system you need in Illinois.
Panel count and space are our estimate for 350- to 400-watt panels. Your installer's design will set the exact layout.
7. Can your electrical panel handle solar?
A 200-amp panel can usually handle a typical home system. Smaller panels often need a change first — a common, fixable job.
The National Electrical Code has a "120% rule." It limits how much solar can feed into your panel. For a common 200-amp panel with a 200-amp main breaker, the rule allows a 40-amp solar breaker. That supports an inverter of about 7.7 kW. A 100-amp panel allows much less — about 3.8 kW.
If your panel is too small, an electrician has three usual fixes: upgrade the panel, use a smaller main breaker, or connect the solar before the panel. Your installer will pick the right one. To find your size, look for the number on your main breaker.
Our arithmetic on the 120% rule: 120% of the panel's rating, minus the main breaker, equals the largest solar breaker. The inverter's steady output can be up to 80% of that breaker, at 240 volts.
8. Do you use enough electricity for solar to pay off?
Most Illinois homes do. The average home uses about 693 kWh a month, and bigger bills usually mean a faster payback.
For a typical 7 kW system you own, our calculator puts payback at about 9 to 18 years at October 2026 prices. Small bills mean smaller savings and a longer payback, so solar is a closer call there. Run your own numbers: is solar worth it in Illinois? How your bill compares: the average electric bill in Illinois. What stays on the bill after solar: your electric bill after solar.
Prices keep moving, too. ComEd's price reset on October 1, 2026 (what changed). Why bills are high right now: ComEd and Ameren. And what a system costs: how much solar panels cost in Illinois.
Ready for a real answer for your home?
Free, about a minute, no obligation. If solar isn't right for your roof or your usage, it tells you so instead of booking a sales call.
Check my eligibility →What else should you know before going solar?
- Permits: most towns require one. How it works in Chicago, Aurora and Peoria.
- What comes off the price: Illinois solar incentives 2026, solar and property taxes, and why the 30% federal credit is gone (did the solar tax credit end?). Illinois never had its own solar tax credit: does Illinois have a state solar tax credit?
- Buying smart: how to vet a solar quote, how to check an installer is legitimate, why a solar loan can cost more than the cash price, and lease vs PPA vs buying.
- Batteries: is a home battery worth it?, the ComEd battery rebate, every Illinois battery incentive, free home battery offers, and the virtual power plants run by ComEd and Ameren.
- Rate plans: ComEd Hourly Pricing with solar.
What if your house isn't a perfect fit?
Most "closer look" items have a common fix. Very few homes are ruled out by one item alone.
- Roof near the end of its life: replace it first, or at the same time as the solar.
- Shade: trim trees, or use a sunnier part of the roof.
- Small electrical panel: upgrade it, or connect the solar a different way.
- Little open roof: use fewer, stronger panels, or a ground mount.
- North-facing roof only: a site check may find a better spot, and a ground mount can face south.
Is my house good for solar? FAQ
Is my house good for solar in Illinois?
It likely is if you own it, your roof faces south, east or west, and the roof gets little midday shade. The roof should have years of life left, and your electrical panel needs room for solar. Most "closer look" items, like an older roof or a small panel, have common fixes.
Does my roof have to face south for solar?
No. South is best, but east- and west-facing roofs work for many homes, making about a quarter less power than a south-facing roof. Flat roofs can have panels tilted to face south. North-facing roofs are the weakest option.
How old is too old for a roof with solar?
If your roof will need replacing soon, replace it before adding solar. Panels usually come with about a 25-year warranty, and removing them later to re-roof adds cost. An installer should check your roof's condition first.
Can I get solar with a 100-amp panel?
Often, yes, with a change. The National Electrical Code's 120% rule limits a 100-amp panel to roughly a 3.8 kW solar system, below what most homes need. An electrician can upgrade the panel, use a smaller main breaker, or connect the solar before the panel.
How much roof space do I need for solar?
A typical 7 kW Illinois system is roughly 17 to 20 panels, or about 350 to 450 square feet of open roof. Vents, skylights and dormers take space away. Your exact layout depends on your panels and your usage.
Can my HOA stop me from installing solar in Illinois?
No. Illinois law stops homeowner associations from banning solar. An HOA can set rules about where panels go, but not rules that cut your system's output by more than 10%.
Do I need to own my home to get solar?
Yes. The owner decides what goes on the roof. If you're buying a home, you can plan solar for after closing. If you rent, the owner would need to install it.
Does solar work if my roof has some shade?
Often, yes. Shade in the morning or evening costs little. Shade from about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. costs the most, because that's when panels make most of their power. A site check will measure it.
Is solar worth it if my electric bill is low?
It's a closer call. Smaller bills mean smaller savings and a longer payback. For a typical 7 kW system, our calculator puts payback at about 9 to 18 years at October 2026 prices.
Can I get solar if I'm not on ComEd or Ameren?
Yes. Customers of co-ops and city-owned utilities can join Illinois Shines. But those utilities don't have to offer net metering, and each sets its own rules for crediting extra power, so check with yours first. The $300-per-kW rebate is a ComEd and Ameren program.
Can I put solar on a flat roof?
Yes. Panels on a flat roof sit on racks that tilt them toward the south. An installer will check the roof's condition and how the racks attach.
What happens to my answers in the checker?
Nothing is sent or stored by this page. If you continue to the eligibility check, a few answers come with you so you don't have to retype them.
Related answers
More answers: the ComEd solar guide · Illinois solar facts · every Illinois solar answer.
Find out whether your home is a candidate.
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Free eligibility check · ComEd & Ameren · No obligationThe Day Company is an Illinois solar and battery information resource and a lead-generation business. Information you submit may be used by our review team and one authorized partner to contact you about your request. Checking eligibility creates no obligation, and nothing on this site is a quote or a guarantee. How we’re funded and how we source figures: our editorial standards.
Sources
Sources · 13 documents behind this page
- U.S. Department of Energy — Homeowner's Guide to Going Solar — roof direction, slope, age and shade
- University of Illinois Extension — Homeowner's Guide to Solar Energy — replacing an aging roof before solar
- Illinois Shines — Consumer FAQs — co-op and city-utility customers can join the program; their net metering rules vary
- Illinois Shines — Glossary — which utilities fall in Group A and Group B
- DSIRE (N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center) — Illinois net metering — municipal utilities and co-ops are not required to offer net metering
- Illinois General Assembly — Homeowners' Energy Policy Statement Act, 765 ILCS 165 — HOA solar rules and the 10% output limit
- Penn State — Interconnection Methods (the NEC 120% rule) — the 40-amp limit on a 200-amp panel
- Solar United Neighbors — What makes a roof good for solar? — east- and west-facing output, flat roofs
- Fairfax County, Virginia — Solar Power 101 (PDF) — east- and west-facing output and typical panel warranties
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory — Tracking the Sun, 2024 Edition (PDF) — the added cost of ground-mounted systems
- U.S. Energy Information Administration — average monthly residential use, Table 5A (PDF) — 693 kWh a month in Illinois
- ComEd — Solar rebates — the $300-per-kW solar rebate
- Ameren Illinois — Customer-owned solar — the $300-per-kW solar rebate
How to cite this page: The Day Company, "Is my house good for solar in Illinois?", theday.company/answers/is-my-house-good-for-solar-illinois, last reviewed September 29, 2026.
Update triggers: this page is revised when Illinois net metering or rebate rules change, when Illinois Shines changes who can join, or when the electrical code's solar rules change.
Changelog · last updated September 29, 2026 · 1 update
- September 29, 2026 — Published. Replaces our earlier blog post of the same name with an 8-point checklist, a fit checker, and every figure checked against its source.