Solar Panel Installation in Tennessee
Installing solar in Tennessee means a roof review, permits, and sign-off from your utility. Call and talk to an independent installer who works in the state.
Call to see if your home qualifies(877) 565-3409Home Solar Line connects you with an independent solar provider. We don't sell or install anything ourselves. Calls may be recorded.
- Free call
- No forms to fill out
- Independent local providers
- No obligation
Who this is for
Check all five before you call:
- You own the home (not renting)
- It's a single-family house or townhouse
- The roof gets full sun or only light shade
- Your power bill is over $100 a month
- The home doesn't already have solar panels
Renting, in a condo, apartment or mobile home, under heavy shade, or already have panels? This line can't help with those, so please don't call.
What happens when you call
- Answer a few quick questionsDo you own the home, how much is your power bill, how sunny is the roof.
- Get connectedIf your home fits, you're put through to an independent solar provider who serves your area.
- Talk it through, then decideThey look at your roof and usage and explain options. No obligation to buy.
Installing solar in Tennessee
In Tennessee, the local power company's rules shape the design, so a provider will size around what your home uses.
Hot summers with heavy air-conditioning load and mild winters.
Interconnection goes through your utility. In Tennessee that could be local power companies that buy from TVA, such as Nashville Electric Service, Memphis Light, Gas and Water, and Knoxville Utilities Board, plus co-ops.
Because most Tennessee homes buy TVA power through a local power company, the credit for exported power can differ a lot from states with traditional net metering, which makes sizing to your own use important.
The installation steps in Tennessee, in brief
- Roof and usage review
- Design and proposal
- Site visit
- Permits and paperworkLocal permits, HOA approval if you have an HOA, and an interconnection application to your utility.
- Installation
- Inspection and permission to operateThe town or county inspects, then the utility approves the connection before the system is switched on.
Weather and site issues in Tennessee
Heat
Panels produce a bit less when they run hot, and long cooling seasons push summer bills up. Ask how the production estimate accounts for heat.
Tree shade
Mature trees shade a lot of roofs. Ask for a shade analysis, and whether trimming a tree would change the design or the estimate.
Permits, HOAs and inspections in Tennessee
Your town or county issues the building and electrical permits and inspects the finished system. Then your utility reviews the interconnection application and gives permission to operate.
If you live in an HOA community, read the covenants and ask about the approval process before you sign. Many providers help prepare the application.
Tennessee's Board for Licensing Contractors has an online search for contractor licenses.
Is your roof a good fit?
South-facing roof planes with full sun from mid-morning to mid-afternoon are ideal. West and east can work. An old roof should be replaced first, since panels stay up for decades.
See if solar makes sense for your house.
One free call. Tell a provider about your roof and your bills, and decide from there.
Who this is for
Check all five before you call:
- You own the home (not renting)
- It's a single-family house or townhouse
- The roof gets full sun or only light shade
- Your power bill is over $100 a month
- The home doesn't already have solar panels
Renting, in a condo, apartment or mobile home, under heavy shade, or already have panels? This line can't help with those, so please don't call.
Questions
Can an HOA stop me from adding solar in Tennessee?
It depends on your covenants. If you live in an HOA community, read the covenants and ask about the approval process before you sign. Many providers help prepare the application.
How do I check a solar provider in Tennessee?
Tennessee's Board for Licensing Contractors has an online search for contractor licenses. Also ask for proof of insurance before signing anything.
Are you a solar company?
No. Home Solar Line is a free phone line that connects homeowners with independent solar providers. We don't sell, design or install systems, and we don't set prices.
Does the call cost anything?
No. The call is free, and there's no obligation to buy anything from the provider you talk to.
Who qualifies?
Homeowners in a single-family house or townhouse with a roof that gets full or mostly full sun, a power bill over $100 a month, and no solar panels already. If that's not you, the provider won't be able to help.