Two Habits Every New Solar Installer Should Build From Day One

Solar installation is physical, technical work with real consequences when things go wrong. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of solar PV installers to grow 37 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations. That means a lot of new people entering the trade in a short amount of time. The installers who build long, successful careers in this industry tend to share a couple of habits they picked up early, and they’re not complicated. 

Janet Hughes has been in the solar industry since 1988, has trained installers across the country, and has reviewed thousands of installations as a quality assessment reviewer with IBTS. In her course, Compliant Solar Array Wiring Bootcamp, available now on HeatSpring, she brings that experience directly to people who are just getting started.

In this clip, Janet shares the two habits she wishes every new installer would build from the start.

Transcript below.

Safety habits should be a priority. Learn all the different safety requirements, know what gear needs to be worn, and make it part of your routine on every job. That’s the first thing.

The other piece is also a safety issue: being observant of everything around you, all the time. There have been instances where an installer gets up on a roof, gets comfortable working on the racking, and stops paying attention to what’s around them. People have walked right off a roof. People have gotten killed and injured from exactly that. So staying present and aware of your surroundings matters.

The second big one is attention to detail. Really checking your work. Making sure you’ve read the manuals and looked at the spec sheets before you do a task. Learning what’s required before you start, not after.

Safety and attention to detail. Those are the two biggies.