Not all roofs are solar-worthy; While some can provide the necessary structural support for new panels, most are unsuitable. Some can be crooked and scrappy. Before contacting a solar installer near you, check whether your roof is ready for solar installation. How does your roof appear? Is it in good condition? Does your roof get proper sunlight?
If your roof lacks the integrity for new solar panels, you can fix it by getting it ready. Wegner roofing and solar experts can help you get your roof ready for the new solar system.
Assess Your Roof and Attic
It would help if you inspected your roof attic; If possible, have a professional check them. The Environmental Protection Agency says that the condition of your attic has a considerable impact on your home’s health and efficiency.
Roof specialists are more likely to detect hidden or potential problems in your attic than to examine them yourself. Once they find the possible trouble points, they save you from the current and future risks.
In your attic, check for the presence of mildew and other issues related to leaks and stains. Many of these signs accompanied by heavy energy bills are a reliable indication of poor ventilation. Here, you are inspecting your ventilation system. According to experts, many attics are poorly ventilated. The implication is potential structural damage and shortened roof life. Are certain rooms in your home drafty? or does your hair conditioner cycle on and off more frequently?
When you DIY your roof inspection and find zero issues, it saves you the hardship of hiring an official inspection down the road. However, if you uncover problems in your attic that you aren’t familiar with, have an inspector assess this area.
Replace Your Roof
When your roof falls out of its integrity or the attic area has registered multiple issues, it’s crucial to replace your roof before integrating your panels. While a new roof costs more to install, it repays with its best scenario—having a great foundation (proper footing) for your newly installed solar system. And when you install new panels after replacing your old roof, the panels boost the lifetime of your roof even further.
Can an Old Roof Accommodate your Solar Panels?
It will depend if your shingles lifetime exceeds that of new solar panels; you can skip replacing your roof. However, some panels can last longer than your roof (over 25 years). Moreover, your old shingles might only have a few years before they collapse. Therefore, replacing your roof is crucial before installing new solar panels. Although installing new panels on an aging roof has advantages like a time frame of less-than-a-week installation and zero downtime, the risks are considerable, including poor material integrity (can subsequently collapse your roof) and potential damage to your solar panels.
Nevertheless, if you fail to replace an aging roof when installing your solar panels, there is a good chance you’ll have to re roof again even before needing a new solar system. The contractors will exert weight on your old roof as they haul new panels and installation components, making even minor issues more severe. When this happens, you are bound to spend extra money on labor (post solar panel installation) for removing and re-installing solar panels in your reroofing project.
Measure Your Roof’s Coverage Area
The size of your roof is crucial for solar panel installations. It dictates the usable surface area and whether your roof meets the minimum requirements for solar panels installations. For one, the design of the solar system determines the height and width of the overall layout (rows and columns). Moreso, panel orientation can vary. Overall, the answer tells you how much roofing material (in squares) you’ll eventually need.
To measure your roof, start by portioning it into sections and noting down the number of sections. You can start by measuring larger sections as you proceed to smaller ones. You should also include valleys, eaves, and ridges in your list. Then, sum up the total of the sections and divide by 100. The answer guides you on the amount of roofing material you’ll need.
Examine the Your Roof’s Location
While roofs are ideal for installing solar panels, some may not be adequately positioned for sufficient sunlight. Things like trees and tall buildings can block your roof from direct sunlight. That means your roof might not be as effective in generating solar power.
To get your roof ready, you can hire a stump removal company to assess its landscape and offer crucial input on whether you could benefit from solar power. The experts might have to eliminate trees or remove blocking elements for maximum sunlight exposure.