Solar panels have become extremely popular over the last decade for homeowners who want to conserve energy, achieve greater energy independence and save money on electric bills. Before installing solar panels on your roof, though, it’s important to consider whether it’s suitable for panel installation. Read on to explore what makes a roof properly suited or unsuitable for the installation of a solar panel system.

Roof Type and Solar Panel Installation

Solar panels work well with most roofing materials used in South Central Texas homes. Two roofing types occasionally found in our region that can make panel installation more challenging are slate and wood. Slate tiles and wood tiles can break easily. For this reason, rooves made of these materials require special mounts. Another consideration when installing solar panels on a wood roof is this material’s greater potential for fire. Standard solar panel mounts may be used for the following roof types:

  • Metal standing seam
  • Asphalt
  • Clay tiles
  • EDPM
  • Spanish tiles

Roofing Shape and Size and Solar Panel Installation

An average solar panel in the U.S. generates 5 kW of DC power. In general, you should allow 100 to 300 square feet of roof for every 5 kW. Turrets, dormers and skylights must also be included in measurements and calculations of the roof’s total surface area. If you’re considering the purchase of a solar panel system, GVEC Solar Services can do a free, no-obligation measurement and assessment of your roof.

Roof Pitch and Solar Panel Installation

Roof pitch refers to the steepness of the structure or the vertical rise divided by the horizontal run. Some experts consider the best roof pitch for solar panels to be 30 degrees or 7/12. If your roof has more than a 40-degree pitch, it may not be suited for solar panel installation.

Shading and Suitability for Solar Panel Installation

Shade can have a significant impact on the effectiveness of solar panels. If your roof has several trees, tall buildings, chimneys or other problematic structures casting significant shade throughout the day, installed panels may not produce as much electricity as they might in constant, direct sunlight. Fortunately, shade-casting trees can often be trimmed, greatly reducing the problem or eliminating it. The solar experts at GVEC Solar Services can assess your roof’s shading considerations as part of our free evaluation of your home and roof for potential solar panel installation.

The Age of the Roof and Solar Panel Installation

Solar panels have the potential to last decades. For this reason, it’s not a good idea to install them on an aging roof. If the roof should need replacing before the panels reach the end of their useful lifespan (and remember, GVEC warranties our panels for 25 years), you’ll have a significant complication in replacing the roof. We highly recommend getting such a roof replaced before installing solar panels.

Solar Panel Installation and Roofing Protection

In addition to conserving energy, achieving greater energy independence and saving money on electric bills with solar panels, owners of these systems also benefit from an added layer of roofing protection panels provide. This fact comes as a surprise to many homeowners; however, when properly installed, solar panels not only have no impact on the roof’s warranty, but also add some degree of structural protection.

Get Professional Solar Panel Installation with GVEC’s Turnkey Solar Solution

At GVEC Solar Services, we’ve been selling and installing complete solar panel systems on rooves across the Guadalupe Valley and surrounding areas for years. Professional solar panel installation by our team of fully licensed, experienced electricians is just one part of our complete, turnkey solar panel solution. Our process includes helping you acquire necessary permits and approvals for proper panel installation, along with a consultation on what system best suits your needs. And of course, we can also measure and assess your roof before you make any purchase decision. Even if we determine that solar panels aren’t a good option, you can also consider ground-based installation.

GVEC Solar Services Solar panel systems will help you save on energy bills. Our systems deliver even greater savings when paired with a home battery storage solution, which we also sell and install. Just ask about them. If you’d like to know more or are ready to move forward into an alternative-energy lifestyle through a solar panel system, call us at 855.898.8807.

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