Solar Panels and Roofing

The best place to install residential solar panels is on your roof. The reason for this is pretty obvious; your roof is likely the highest point on your property, so the sun is going to shine on them more readily, and it’s easier to integrate the solar panels with your pre-existing wiring, so it saves on costs versus installing on a point further from your home. This means that you’re going to need a solidly built roof, one that can withstand the added pressure of solar panels. This means that if you’re considering installing solar panels, you should consider roof renovations, and vice versa.

Coordinating between the team responsible for your solar panel installation and your roofers is going to be essential, here; between the two, you’ll get a much better understanding of what materials you’ll want to use for your roof and how suited for solar panels your current roof is. An interesting facet of solar panels is that they tend to have more longevity than some roofing materials; that means that when they’re properly applied, the sections of your roof covered by the panels may last longer than the sections without. When your roof is only a few years out from needing replacement, it’s an especially good idea to get it renovated before solar panel installation, because most solar panels will last for decades; 30 years or more is industry standard.

The main reason to get your roof replaced before installing solar panels is that if you need to replace it afterwards, you’re going to incur unnecessary costs: the solar panels will need to be removed and reinstalled, which can cost thousands of dollars, as the installation needs to be performed by professionals. Avoiding these costs can save a lot of money. You may wonder whether or not it’s worth installing solar panels if you have to replace your roof to do so; that answer depends on a lot of different factors, but it can very well be worth the initial costs. Solar panels can almost eliminate your power bill altogether; in all likeliness, you’ll be producing more energy in the summer than you consume, and this will offset your winter bill. If you plan on living in your home for a long time, panels can certainly be worth the cost, even with the new roof installation. If you plan on selling your home, a new roof and solar panels can certainly add to your home’s value.

Tesla, the prominent renewable energy company helmed by Elon Musk, has created a solution for solar panels and roofing; the Tesla Solar Roof, or solar shingles. A lot of consumers are wondering whether or not these panels are worth it; while everything depends on how you conceive value, installing these shingles costs tens of thousands of dollars, and is generally far more expensive than installing both a new roof and a solar array. Consider that your solar array will probably offset most of your power bill whether you choose shingles or panels, we’re of the opinion that the panels are probably only worth it if you value aesthetics, or if for some reason your roof is inordinately expensive to replace otherwise.