When homeowners start researching solar, many expect the hardest part to be choosing a system. For the Miller family in Richmond, the bigger challenge was knowing who to trust and what information actually mattered.

They shared how VirginiaSolar.org became a steady reference point for them from the first Google search all the way through installation.

Tell us a little about your home and where you’re located.

We’re in the Richmond area, in a two-story home built in the early 2000s. We’ve lived here for a while and don’t plan on moving anytime soon, so long-term decisions about the house matter to us.

What made you start looking into solar?

It started with curiosity more than urgency.

We kept hearing about solar from neighbors and seeing it pop up more and more around Richmond. Instead of calling a company right away, we wanted to understand how it actually worked and whether it made sense for our home.

What questions or concerns did you have at the beginning?

Pretty much everything.

We wanted to know:

• How solar performs in different seasons

• Whether production numbers were realistic

• How utilities factor into the equation

• What questions we should even be asking installers
  
  

We didn’t want to feel like we were learning after signing something.

How did VirginiaSolar.org help during your decision?

It became our reference point.

Every time we ran into a new question—about system sizing, billing, winter production, or contracts—we went back to VirginiaSolar.org. The articles helped us understand what was normal, what mattered, and what didn’t.

It also helped us evaluate recommendations more confidently. Instead of taking everything at face value, we felt like we could actually compare options.

What ultimately made solar feel like the right move?

Clarity.

Once we understood how solar fits into long-term energy use—not just one season or one bill—it stopped feeling risky. It felt like a measured decision instead of a leap of faith.

Having neutral information made that possible.

How has the experience been so far?

Honestly, very smooth.

Because we understood the process ahead of time, there were no surprises. We knew what steps were coming, what timelines looked like, and what was considered normal along the way.

That alone made the experience far less stressful.

What would you tell someone in Virginia who’s still unsure?

Use good information as your starting point.

Solar decisions feel overwhelming when everything comes at you at once. Having a place to go for clear explanations and solid recommendations made all the difference for us.

Why We Share Stories Like This

VirginiaSolar.org exists to support homeowners before, during, and after the solar decision—not to rush anyone into it.

These stories reflect how many Virginia families use the site: as a guide, a reference, and a way to feel confident at every step of the process.

Note on Privacy

Names and identifying details may be adjusted to protect homeowner privacy. These stories are representative of real homeowner experiences across Virginia.