Posted Monday, March 30, 2020

What Roof Types Are Compatible with Solar Panels?

If you’ve been thinking about ‘going solar’ and adding a few solar panels to your commercial or residential building, you might have found yourself asking the question, “Is my roof even compatible with solar panels?”.

To address this question, the solar power professionals at Urban Solar are here to offer some insight.

[Remember that every solar power generation system is unique, and there is no single recommendation that is going to work for every solar customer.

We highly advise you to contact our team with specific details about your home or business, so you can have confidence knowing you’re getting the best answer for your individual situation.]

The Good News

One of the best features of photovoltaic (PV) solar power systems is that they can be installed on virtually any roof. That means low-slope roofs, high-pitch roofs, and chalet-style or A-frame roofs, too.

There are only a few exceptions to this, like:

• Roofs that don’t have the structural integrity required to support the weight of solar panels
• Thatch or makeshift roofing construction (rare)
• Roofs that are in a state of disrepair

As long as the roof on your home or business doesn’t have any of the above issues, you’re golden!

This means solar power-generating PV panels can be installed on:

• Roofs with asphalt shingles. Asphalt shingle roofs are probably the most common roof types for conventional-slope residential rooftops. Solar panel mounting hardware is specifically designed to work well with this type of roof.
  
• Clay, slate, or concrete tile. Not only are solar panels easy to install on these types of roofs, they often provide an interesting aesthetic element, as they can offset the look of the repeating tile.
  
• Metal, industrial, and even rubber roofs. Low-slope or flat-roof style commercial buildings are ideal candidates for solar. This is because there is often ample square footage that can be used for the panel installation, and minimal mounting equipment is necessary to ensure a secure fit.

Many of our customers ask us about shaded areas of their roofs and if they can be candidates for solar panels. Generally speaking, solar panels should be installed on an area of the roof that experiences the highest amount of direct sunlight throughout the year.

It may not be immediately obvious what part of your own roof would be ideal for the installation of solar panels. That’s why our team is here to help!

To have your solar questions answered, just contact us today, and a knowledgeable member of our team will be happy to assist you.