Many Texas homeowners install solar expecting their electric bill to drop immediately — and for most people, it does. But some homeowners notice something strange:
their solar system is producing power, yet their electric bill barely changes.

The monitoring app shows kilowatt-hours being generated. The inverter appears to be working. The panels look fine on the roof. But the bill from the utility company doesn’t reflect the savings homeowners expect.

This situation is more common than you think — and it usually means something is wrong somewhere between the panels and the meter. In other words, your system looks like it’s working, but something is preventing you from benefiting from the power your system is generating.

In this blog, we break down all the reasons your solar system can produce power while your electric bill stays high — especially in the DFW area where weather, installation quality, and grid behavior affect system performance.

1. Your Home Is Using More Power Than You Realize

This is one of the most common — and surprising — reasons bills don’t drop.

Texas homes use a lot of electricity, especially because of:

• Air conditioning
• Electric water heaters
• Pool pumps
• Space heaters
• Appliances running simultaneously
• Winter electric load during cold fronts

Even if your solar system produces a healthy amount of energy, your home may consume more than it generates during peak hours.

Common hidden power drains:

• Old refrigerators
• Always-on garage fridges
• Water heaters cycling constantly
• Weatherstripping leaks
• Smart home devices
• Older HVAC units
• Electric dryers

This doesn’t mean your solar system is broken — it simply means your home’s energy demand has increased.

2. Your Solar System Was Undersized From the Start

Some companies undersell system size intentionally. Others base their design on your historical usage — but your usage may have increased since installation.

Reasons your system may be undersized:

• You added more appliances
• You bought an EV
• More family members moved in
• Work-from-home increased usage
• Your AC is older and running more often
• Summers are getting hotter in Texas

If your system can’t offset your new energy usage, your bill won’t drop as much as expected.

3. Your Solar System Isn’t Producing as Much as You Think

This is very common.

Your monitoring app may show production — but it may not show:

• True inverter output
• String-level issues
• Panel-level failures
• Optimizer or microinverter malfunctions
• Voltage drops
• Electrical imbalance

Monitoring apps often display estimated or partial data, especially if:

• Wi-Fi signal is weak
• The system loses connection
• Data is being cached
• Firmware is outdated

It’s possible your system is producing only half of what the app shows.

4. Your Utility Company Changed Their Billing or Buyback Structure

Some utilities:

• Offer lower credits than before
• Reduce buyback rates
• Charge fixed fees
• Change peak/off-peak billing
• Add delivery charges

Even if your solar system runs perfectly, your bill may not drop if your utility reduces compensation for solar power.

This is especially relevant in deregulated Texas electricity markets where plans vary widely.

5. Solar Production Doesn’t Cover Evening and Night Usage

Solar power works during the day — but most homes use the most power in the evening.

Common high-usage evening appliances:

• AC/heat
• Kitchen appliances
• Laundry
• TVs and entertainment
• Lighting
• Water heater

If your system doesn’t overproduce enough during the day, you’ll still buy evening electricity from the grid.

This explains why many homeowners still see bills in winter and summer.

6. Shading or Dirt Is Reducing Production (You May Not Notice)

Even small amounts of:

• Pollen
• Tree shade
• Dust
• Bird droppings
• Roof debris

…can reduce production enough to affect your bill.

Many homeowners think their panels are “pretty clean,” but even a thin layer of dust can reduce output by 10–20%.

Seasonal shading (especially in winter) also surprises homeowners who had no shading issues at installation.

7. Your Solar System Isn’t Connected to Your Wi-Fi (Or Lost Connection)

If your system lost Wi-Fi, your monitoring app might be showing old numbers.

Your solar may not be producing correctly right now — but your app is still displaying production from days or weeks ago.

This happens often when:

• The router is replaced
• The Wi-Fi password changes
• The inverter loses its Wi-Fi board
• The inverter is too far from the router
• Firmware updates fail

You may think your system is working — but it may not be working at all.

8. Your Meter Is Not Reading Solar Correctly

Sometimes the issue is with the utility meter itself.

Meters occasionally:

• Misread solar backfeed
• Fail to register exported power
• Count solar generation as usage
• Fail during grid outages
• Have outdated firmware

A meter reading incorrectly can make it appear your system isn’t offsetting your bill — when in fact the utility isn’t crediting you.

9. Your System May Have an Inverter or String Issue

Your system can appear “on” even when certain strings or components are failing.

Common issues hidden from homeowners:

• One string producing 0 kW
• Dead microinverters
• Loose wiring
• Ground faults
• Arc faults
• Rapid shutdown failures
• DC voltage drops

Your system technically “works,” but only part of it is generating energy.

This results in lower production — and a higher bill.

10. Your Solar Company Never Did a Final QA Check

Many installation companies finish the job and never:

• Balance voltage
• Inspect wiring
• Confirm optimal production
• Test the inverter
• Verify alignment
• Check shading accuracy
• Confirm electrical load compatibility

If your system wasn’t optimized at install, you’ve been losing production since day one.

How Texas Homeowners Can Fix High Bills Despite Having Solar

Here’s what actually works to diagnose the issue.

1. Schedule a Full Solar Maintenance & Diagnostic Service

A full professional inspection identifies:

• String failures
• Inverter issues
• Voltage imbalance
• Damaged wiring
• Failed optimizers/microinverters
• Shading
• Panel degradation
• Roof-level electrical issues

Maintenance is the most reliable way to find hidden problems causing high bills.

2. Get Professional Solar Panel Cleaning

Clean panels:

• Run cooler
• Produce more power
• Reduce shading effects
• Minimize hot spots
• Improve daily output

Cleaning alone often restores 10–30% of production.

3. Confirm Your Monitoring System Is Accurate

Checking the following helps:

• Wi-Fi connection
• Monitoring app sync
• Inverter firmware
• Communication board functionality

Accurate data helps you understand what’s really happening.

4. Check for Increased Home Electrical Usage

Look for:

• New appliances
• Higher AC/heat use
• Seasonal load changes
• Old or failing HVAC
• Electric water heater usage

A small increase in home usage can erase solar savings.

5. Trim Trees and Remove Seasonal Shading

Shading gets worse every year as trees grow.

Even one branch can decrease production significantly.

6. Have a Technician Review Utility Meter Behavior

A meter that misreads solar backfeed will cause high bills even if your system works perfectly.

Technicians can document the issue so the utility is required to correct it.

When a Solar Detach & Reset Is Necessary

A Solar Detach & Reset (D&R) is recommended when:

• Wiring under the array is damaged
• Wildlife has chewed wires
• Panels were installed improperly
• Roof repairs are needed
• System imbalance causes major production loss
• Multiple strings show failure
• Shading or misalignment needs correction

A D&R uncovers hidden issues and brings the system back to proper working condition.

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