What Is The Best Roof For Solar Panels?

If you’re considering solar panels, the first step is to evaluate whether your roof is suited for them. Additionally, if you’re considering installing solar panels on a home you’re developing, roof design should be a consideration.

In either case, roofing comes in a variety of shapes and materials, and knowing how these aspects affect solar panel installations may be challenging.

Expobright will advise you on the ideal rooftops for solar panels, ensuring that your system remains stable and secure for maximum performance.

What Type Of Roof Is Best For Solar Panels?

Numerous roof types are suitable for solar panels, however the following are the most popular.

Solar Panel Mounting On Shingle Roofs

Shingle roofs are the most prevalent kind of residential roofing and are made of composite or asphalt shingles. Composite shingles are constructed using a combination of materials such as laminate, wood, and slate; asphalt shingles are constructed using either a cellulose mat or fiberglass material with asphalt applied at the end of the production process.

While both are adaptable, composite shingles are slightly more durable than asphalt shingles.

Solar panel installation on shingle roofs is relatively straightforward, using only basic penetrating mounts. To install solar panels, studs are drilled into the roof and the gaps between the panels and studs are then closed up and covered with flashings to prevent water from leaking in between the roof and panel and perhaps into your home.

Many homeowners (or homebuilders) opt for shingle roofing because it is affordable, robust, and has a lifespan of between 12 and 20 years, making it ideal for mounting solar panels that will likely remain on your roof for decades.

Solar Panel Mounting On Metal Roofs

Solar panel systems are ideal for metal roofs. If your property has a metal roof with standing seams, solar panels may be easily attached because they do not require drilling. Additionally, because drilling is avoided, contractors or crew personnel are not required, saving you money on labor expenditures during the solar panel installation procedure.

Metal roofs are also ideal for homes and businesses located in places that receive more sunlight or heat — such as Texas, Colorado, or Florida — since they reflect any light that does not reach your solar panels, so keeping your home cooler.

One of the primary reasons people select metal roofing for their homes is the astonishingly long life span of the material. Metal roofs have a lifespan of between 40 and 125 years.

On the negative, metal roofs are around two to three times the price of other types of roofing and may be rather loud during inclement weather. Fortunately, if you have solar panels installed, you can filter out part of that noise.

Solar Panel Mounting On Tile Roofs

Solar panels may be mounted on a tile roof using a typical penetrating mount that lifts them slightly above the roof. Due to the fact that tiles do not always have similar, uniform shapes, it is occasionally necessary to cut or remove particular tiles to make room for the mounts. This may result in an increase in labor expenses.

Tile shingles are available in slate, concrete, and clay; solar installation on clay tile provides certain unique issues not seen with ordinary shingle roofs. For starters, the way you travel around the roof is much different. Clay tile is extremely resistant to the outdoors, but not so much to installation workers’ footfall. However, Freedom Solar takes great care in servicing this market; our technicians are well-versed in navigating across clay roofs without destroying tiles.

While tiled roofs are more aesthetically beautiful than other roofing materials due to their greater variety of appearances, they are often more costly (though not as much as metal) and heavier than other roofing materials. However, they are more durable and typically more watertight than other roof kinds.

Around 90% of roofs in California and Arizona are tile roofs, but they’re gaining appeal in locations like Central Texas, where preferences are shifting in tandem with population growth.

Solar Panel Mounting On Tar And Gravel Roofs

While the majority of tar and gravel roofs are flat (some tar and gravel roofs are inclined), solar panels can still be installed on them. However, you must guarantee that your solar panel system is placed and oriented at a 30 degree angle with tilt brackets to ensure that your panels receive the most amount of sunshine for energy generation in your home.

Even though working on flat roofs is simple, you should consider hiring a labor team or contractor to mount and align your solar panel system if you are unfamiliar with the installation procedure.

Many homeowners prefer tar and gravel roofs because they are the least expensive and have an approximate lifespan of 20 to 25 years. Additionally, they are completely sealed to prevent fractures and leaks while offering an excellent, level support surface for your solar panel installation.

Related: What To Know Before Installing Solar Panels?

What Is The Best Roof Angle For Solar Panels?

While the optimal roof pitch for solar panels is around 30 degrees to maximum energy output, solar panels will function on roofs with steeper or flatter slopes.

Consider that for maximum solar panel performance in the winter, you should add 15 degrees to your latitude and angle your solar panel system appropriately; in the summer, remove 15 degrees from your latitude and angle your solar panel system correspondingly.

Can A Roof Be Too Steep For Solar Panels?

While the majority of roofs are not exceptionally steep, if yours is, your solar panels will likely perform well enough to provide enough electricity for your home. Although the ideal roof angle is around 30 degrees, if your roof is tilted 40 degrees, this will only reduce your energy output by roughly 1%.

Any roof steeper than 40 degrees is most certainly unsuitable for solar panels, and solar panels may not be a reasonable addition to your home if complete energy independence is your objective.

Solar Panels On Flat Roofs

Solar panels are equally at home on flat roofs as they are on inclined roofs.

Solar panel installation on flat roofs is typically considerably simpler than on sloped roofs, since it is easier to maneuver, resulting in a faster finish.

Solar systems on flat roofs do not require the penetration mounts that sloping roofs necessitate. Alternatively, for flat roofs, weighted mounting systems (sometimes called ballast systems) are employed, which do not require drilling into the roof. This technology removes the need for holes and instead relies on gravity to assure the stability and security of your solar panel installation.

However, because flat roofs plainly lack an angle, tilt-up brackets are utilized to maintain a 30 degree angle for your system.

Which Direction Is Best For Solar Panels On Roofs?

South is the optimal direction for solar panels. If, however, the roof of your home is not facing that direction, you can face them southeast or southwest.

This answer may be contrary depending on which hemisphere you live in. For individuals in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun passes over the southern region of the sky throughout the year as we follow our orbit, which means that your solar panels must face south. Similarly, residents in the Southern Hemisphere must face their solar panels north (or northeast or northwest).

How Much Roof Space Do Solar Panels Require?

Solar panel roof space requirements are totally dependent on the kind and manufacturer of your solar panels, the size of your property, and the amount of power you regularly consume on a daily basis.

With an average-sized solar panel, one square foot of roof area may theoretically create roughly 15 watts of solar energy. While a smaller home may require only 200 square feet of roof space for panels, bigger residences will require more solar panels and hence more roof area (about 1,000 square feet) to power the lighting.

If you’re a heavy power consumer, you’ll likely want additional roof space to accommodate additional solar panels capable of meeting your electricity demands.

The average home uses between 19 and 23 solar panels, each of which requires up to 18 square feet of area. In general, your roof should have a usable area of 400 to 600 square feet. Consider any skylights, dormers, or chimneys that may reduce the amount of available roof space.

Related: How Many Solar Panels Do I Need?

Requirements For The Roof Strength Of Solar Panels

Solar panels and associated mounting hardware, such as penetration or weight mounts, generally weigh between 3 and 4 pounds per square foot. This weight is generally considered adequate for any style of roof.

However, solar panels with weighted ballasts installed on flat roofs often weigh slightly more due to the usage of concrete blocks to secure the system in place.

As long as your roof is reasonably fresh and in good shape, weighted ballasts are an acceptable alternative – even more so if your panels are from SunPower, which delivers the industry’s lightest solar panels at roughly 33 pounds per panel.

Are Solar Panels Bad For Your Roof?

Solar panels are not detrimental to your roof, but there are a few considerations, particularly during the installation procedure. Due to the fact that drilling is necessary to fasten the panels to your roof, this process will inevitably produce holes that might result in water leaks over time.

A competent installer can help you avoid long-term damage to your roof and, ultimately, to your house. Solar panel systems have a life expectancy of 30 to 35 years, thus it is critical that they are installed properly the first time.

How To Get The Best-looking Solar Panels

If you’re afraid that solar panels may detract from the aesthetic of your property, keep in mind that you do have choices.

Typically, black shingles complement solar panels the best. While black absorbs sunlight and so makes your house seem warmer, darker roofs help integrate the look of solar panels so they do not stick out as much.

Related: Questions Homeowners should ask a Solar Company

Additionally, keep in mind that whatever sort of roof or solar panels you have, they symbolize your character and beliefs of sustainable living.