What we check every week
- Plug-in solar laws. State legislature bill pages, cross-checked against Bright Saver’s state tracker and the enacted text. Status, start dates, size caps, certification and renter rules.
- Safety certification. Which plug-in solar products carry UL 3700 certification, from manufacturer announcements and the certifying lab.
- Local gas leaf blower rules. City and county codes, cross-checked against public trackers.
- Home energy rebates. Whether each state is taking applications for the federal HOMES and HEAR programs.
What we update when new data comes out
- Electricity prices. U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A. EIA publishes about two months after the month it covers.
- Average use and bills. EIA’s annual average monthly bill tables.
- Solar output. NREL PVWatts. The calculators use state averages unless you enter a ZIP code.
Product picks
- We pick products for a specific job (a fridge through an outage, a drafty window) and say what each one is best for and what to watch for.
- Specs come from the manufacturer. Where a spec varies by version, we say so.
- We don’t show prices or star ratings. Prices on Amazon change constantly, and we can’t verify ratings.
- If a better product isn’t sold on Amazon, we still list it, and link to the maker without an affiliate link.
What we won’t do
We don’t give electrical or legal advice. When a job means working inside your electrical panel, adding a 240 V circuit or touching a gas line, we say to hire a licensed professional, because those mistakes can kill.