Is My Home Roof Good for Solar Panels? Analyze Your Rooftop
Are you interested in solar installation? If you are planning to go solar, Is My Roof Good for Solar Panels? is the first query that comes to mind.
Installing solar panels is a long-time investment. Once the solar panels are installed on your roof, those will be there for decades. So, roof inspection is an important task before the solar panels installing process. With this, you can know the quality of your roof, the energy production estimate, etc.
In this article, we will discuss some considerations you should think about before installing solar panels on your rooftop.
What is the TYPE of your home roof?
First of all, you should know about the material which is used to make it. Most solar panels perform well with durable and strong roofing materials like Asphalt Shingle, Composite, Concrete Tiles, Seam Metal, etc. Asphalt Shingle roof is considered perfect for the rooftop solar installation purpose.
Generally, rooftop solar panels installation is not recommended if your roof is made of wood shake, slate tile, clay with mortar, or composite metal/stone coated steel.
You can install solar on your rooftop with the above case but you have to look for an installer who is having expertise with this kind of roof. Generally, Ground Mount Install is the recommended option in this case.
Does your roof need REPLACEMENT?
Before solar panels are installed, it is a good idea to replace your rooftop if it is required in near future. A good condition roof is the best thing to install solar panels on the rooftop.
Considering that the savings from high-efficiency solar panels may pay for the cost of a re-roof in as little as five years, it might be worthwhile to complete any necessary roofing work before your solar installation.
How much SPACE available on your roof?
Space estimation depends upon the number of solar panels you need to install for fulfilling your power needs. Most of the panels are about 6.5 feet x 3.25 feet.
With Solar SME FREE consultation, you can know exactly about the number of required solar panels.
If your roof is not in a triangle shape, or there are barriers like dormers, chimneys, ventilation pipes skylights, etc., Solar SME experts can still make it possible to install solar on your rooftop. Our experts can work around such splitting the panels up a replacement and utilizing every possible part of it.
How much SUNLIGHT your roof receives?
As we know, solar panels use sunlight to produce power for the home. Sunlight is the central input for a solar home to generate energy for the home. That is why it is essential to have an idea about the amount of sunlight receives. The more sunlight it receives, the more power your solar panels will generate. Resultantly the more savings you will achieve.
To analyze your roof whether is a good candidate or not, you can use a free solar panel suitability checker tool like Google’s Project Sunroof. After that, you can consult with some solar company to inspect the orientation, angles, or shading aspects. This helps to analyze the required sunlight requirement for fulfilling home needs.
What is the ANGLE or PITCH of your roof?
Solar Panels’ Direction and Pitch play a vital role in the work efficiency of solar panels. The right direction leads to receiving good sunlight and producing much power for your home. If the panels are at the wrong angle, not receiving a good amount of light, they may not be work as efficiently.
According to the energy experts, the solar panels facing towards the South gets more sunshine than other direction. You can install panels in other directions also but maybe it requires some more solar panels or high-power panels to meet the home energy needs.
Is the roof of your home having SHADE?
Before installing solar panels, you must observe the shading around your roof. It is necessary because any shadow over your roof reduces the total amount of daily sunshine hours. Shade is usually provided by trees and, in some cases, other structures. The great news is that trees can often be trimmed or cut. Preferably, direct sunlight can reach the roof from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
You can consult with Solar SME for the inspection. Our site surveying team employs satellite technology to rapidly identify potential shading problems and provide solutions. They will assist you in determining your home’s winter and summer sunlight exposure capacity to decide whether there is enough to power your home regularly.
Hopefully, the above questions got the wheels turning on how to determine the roof of your home before installing solar panels. After all the above examination, are you still confuse about Is My Roof Good for Solar Panels?
Why not take a further step with Solar SME FREE Solar Consultation? Our energy experts are always available to help you through this. And if we determine that there is insufficient space, you will be able to balance a portion of your energy usage and standardize your costs. In either case, with the prospect of significant savings on electricity bills, it never hurts to inquire!
