Although the idea of opting for solar energy is quite appealing on its own and is being encouraged on a state level by the government as well, the solar panel installation itself requires a certain degree of compliance. Since most of the homeowners only have the required space for solar panel installation on their roof-tops especially in the suburbs, the solar company has to make sure that whether or not the roof is compatible. The following are a few things to consider about your roof as and when you decide to go solar:
Roof Type – The first order of business should be to know the type of roof surface you have. Solar panel installation is a process that requires the roof surface to be of a certain type. Following are a few common roof types that solar customers usually have
Wooden Roof – There are some homeowners that prefer wooden roofs instead of metal or cement roof, therefore, it is one of the most common roof-types found in the suburbs. With that said, even though the panels can be mounted on the wooden roof surface, it is advisable not to on account of fire-hazard or proneness to damage.
Tile Roof – Tile roof is also among the commonly found roof types. Incase of tiles, it is very important to account for the type of tiles since the tiles themselves can be made out of various materials and each type of materials incurs its own labour cost. For instance, installing solar on concrete tiles can be a lot cheaper as compared to installing solar on clay tiles as they are more delicate and fragile as compared to concrete.
Metal Roof – One of the most commonly found and most favorable types for solar panel installation is the metal roofs with standing seams. The open slots all across the surface make it easy for the technicians to mount the brackets. Due to the ease in installation and a sturdy structure, the cost of labour incurred on the metal roof is perhaps the cheapest.
Gravel Roof – Gravel roof is also amongst the compatible and rather commonly found roof types in the suburbs. Usually, these rooftops are completely flat, which implies that there is a need to set the brackets at an angle to make sure that the panels capture maximum amount of light.
Shingle Roof – Shingle roof type is the most commonly found and usually the most favorable for solar panel installation. The shingles are made from fiber-glass, cellulose mat, asphalt and other minerals, the shingles are highly durable and very easy to work on. Solar panel installation service providers prefer this roof-type above all else and charge much less fee for working upon it as well.
Roof Angle – The roof angle is critical in making sure that the sunlight is processed to the optimum. Most of the homes have roofs at a 30-40 degree angle and the sun exposure is the best on such angles. If the roof is steeper than the said angles, the sunlight would be hard to come by, which will hinder the power generation process. Incase of a flat-roof, the brackets can be placed at an angle to make sure that the sun exposure is ideal.
Roof Direction – This is perhaps the most critical element of solar panel installation. The sun exposure is not necessarily a 100% all-around all day, which implies that the placement of the panels should be done in a particular direction where there are no trees or other objects casting a shade. In general terms, the ideal direction of the panels should be towards the equator as that is the general direction where the sun shines the most. The accuracy of the angle should ideally be 100% nut if the angle is inaccurate by more than 10 degrees, the solar panels shall not provide the desired amount of power.
Hiring an ideal solar installation company can help take care of all such concerns. Perfect Solar Home happens to be one of the service providers that, with the help of its excellent customer services and a well-versed team of solar experts, enjoys the privilege of serving happy customers around the US. If you’re looking for a faithful company to have the solar installed, you should definitely shortlist Perfect Solar Homes.