Last updated: October 17, 2026
This page explains how Small Steps Solar researches, writes, checks and corrects its content.
Our purpose
We publish guides about solar energy basics for beginners for complete beginners who want to understand solar before spending money. Our guides focus on explaining solar terms and concepts simply and accurately, with worked examples and clearly stated units and assumptions.
How we research
- We base our guides on government energy education resources such as the U.S. Department of Energy and NREL, manufacturer specifications and product manuals.
- We separate facts, estimates and opinion. Facts and figures link to their source; estimates state their assumptions; opinions are labeled as our view.
- Where a guide covers safety, we link to the official source rather than restating it as our own advice, and we place warnings where readers will see them.
What we do not do
- We do not claim to have tested or used a product unless the article explicitly describes that use.
- We do not invent test results, scores, star ratings, statistics, testimonials or reviews.
- We do not promise savings, output, payback periods or performance that a source does not support.
- We do not publish hand-typed prices or “deal” claims, because they go out of date quickly.
- We do not accept payment, free products in exchange for coverage, or sponsored placements in our guides.
Safety-sensitive topics
Our lessons explain concepts and small, low-risk first steps. They are not wiring instructions. For anything connected to household wiring or the grid, follow the manufacturer’s instructions, local rules and a licensed electrician.
Affiliate links
We earn commissions from some links, as explained in our Affiliate Disclosure. Commissions never decide which products we include or how we describe them, and articles with affiliate links say so before the first link.
Updates and corrections
We review guides when products, specifications, rules or official guidance change, and we show the date a guide was last updated. If you find an error, please contact us with the page URL and details. We review every correction request, fix confirmed errors and note significant corrections at the end of the article.