The crew has gone, the roof looks tidy, and the app is showing numbers. Most homeowners hear nothing further from their installer — which is a shame, because the first twelve months are when a solar system either settles into doing exactly what it promised, or quietly does not.
Here is what should happen in year one, roughly in order, and what to do if it does not.
What happens in the first week?
Your system starts producing the day permission to operate arrives, and monitoring should be live and registered in your name — not your installer’s. That single detail is the one most often skipped, and it is the reason some homeowners cannot see their own production years later.
Log in while the installer is still easy to reach. Check that every panel or string reports, and that the system name and address are yours.
What should the first power bill look like?
Different, and often confusing. Your bill will show what you drew from the grid and what you exported, and in the first month or two those numbers rarely look the way people expect — particularly if the system went live mid-cycle.
The thing to check is not the dollar figure but whether export is being credited at all. If the meter was not properly changed or configured, you can produce for weeks and see none of it reflected. That is a utility fix, and the sooner it is raised the less of it you lose.
What is a true-up, and when does it matter?
Net metering settles over a year rather than a month. Through the sunny half of the year you build credit; through the dark half you draw it back down. The true-up is the annual reckoning of that balance.
Two things are worth knowing: when your credit year resets, and what happens to any surplus at that point. A bank of unused credit that zeroes out is production you were never paid for, and it changes how a system should have been sized in the first place. We check both before quoting, and it is a fair question to ask any installer.
What maintenance does a new system need?
Very little, and less than most companies would like to sell you. There are no moving parts. In year one the useful jobs are checking production against the estimate after a full cycle, keeping an eye out for nesting under the array, and rinsing off heavy ash or pollen if it builds up.
What you should not need is a monthly subscription to have someone read the same monitoring portal you can read yourself.
What paperwork should you keep?
- The installation contract and the final system design
- Permits and the signed inspection record
- The interconnection agreement and your permission-to-operate confirmation
- Panel, inverter and workmanship warranty documents — usually three separate terms
- Monitoring login details, in your name
Put them somewhere you will find them in eight years. When a house with solar sells, this folder is the difference between a straightforward transaction and a buyer’s agent asking questions nobody can answer.
Why does the first year matter so much?
Because it is the only period where the system is measured against what it was sold as. After twelve months of real data you can compare actual production to the estimate, see whether your usage assumptions held, and decide whether an addition — a battery, an EV charger, another string — is worth it.
Sunbridge Solar has been installing across SW Washington and NW Oregon for over 15 years, we are verified by the Energy Trust of Oregon, and our work carries a 10-year craftsmanship warranty alongside 25-year product warranties. We would rather you call us in month eleven with a question than discover a problem in year six.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do in the first week after solar is installed?
Log into your monitoring, confirm it is registered in your name rather than the installer’s, and check that every panel or string is reporting. Fixing account details is far easier while the installer is still close at hand.
Why does my first power bill look strange after going solar?
Bills usually cover a partial cycle and show both what you imported and what you exported. The important check is whether export is being credited at all — if the meter was not configured correctly you can produce for weeks with nothing to show for it.
What is a solar true-up bill?
Net metering settles annually rather than monthly. You build credit in summer and draw it down in winter, and the true-up is the yearly reckoning. Knowing when your credit year resets matters, because unused surplus can expire.
How much maintenance does a home solar system need?
Very little. No moving parts, no service schedule. Check production against the estimate after a full year, watch for birds or squirrels nesting under the array, and rinse off heavy ash or pollen. Ongoing paid monitoring plans are rarely worth it.
What documents should I keep after a solar installation?
The contract and design, permits and inspection record, interconnection agreement and permission to operate, all three warranty documents, and your monitoring login. That folder becomes valuable when you sell the house.
Questions about your system?
Whether we installed it or not, call 360-313-7190 for a straight answer. Sunbridge Solar serves Camas, Washougal, Vancouver, Portland and the Columbia River Gorge.
