• Home
  • About Us
  • Solar Power
    • Federal and State Incentives
    • Solar Renewable Energy Credit
    • Photovoltaic Module - FAQs
    • Solar Panels Videos
  • Solar Water Heater
    • Federal and State Incentives
    • Solar Thermal Water Heater - FAQs
    • Hybrid Electric Heat Pump Water Heater
    • Solar Water Heater Video
  • Geothermal
    • Federal and State Incentives
    • Geothermal Heat Pumps - FAQs
    • Ground Source Heat Pumps Videos
  • Energy Audit
    • Federal and State Incentives
    • Energy Efficient Home
    • Insulation and Air Sealing
    • Spray Foam
  • Contact Us
    • Referral Program
  • Blog
Smith Sustainable Design
PA: 215-260-7905

Roof requirements for installing solar photovoltaic panels-Part2

8/12/2013

1 Comment

 
Roof requirements for installing solar photovoltaic panels-Part2
As discussed in Part 1 of this blog series, space and orientation are two important factors we consider when determining if your roof is ideal for installing solar photovoltaic panels. The other critical factors we look at are the condition of the roof and the shading of the roof space. 

Condition

The condition of your roof itself is an important consideration which should be evaluated before installing solar photovoltaic panels. If your roof is fairly new, you probably won’t need to worry about replacing it before the installation. On the other hand, if your roof is 15 years old or more, you may want to think about replacing it before your solar photovoltaic panel installation takes place. Most roofing materials only last 25 to 30 years, whereas your solar energy system won’t need replacement for about 20 or more years. With an older roof, those materials won’t outlive your system and will require replacement down the road, which means your solar energy system must be taken down and reinstalled after your roof replacement.

It is also crucial that your roof can withstand the weight of the solar photovoltaic panels. They don’t weigh as much as you may think- only 3 to 5 pounds per square foot- but they can add up because multiple panels will be used. We take precautions to determine the maximum load your roof system can bear to ensure your roof and building structure will not be damaged by the weight of the solar photovoltaic panels.

Shading

Your roof can be the perfect size, have the ideal exposure, and be in excellent condition, but it won’t matter at all if the solar photovoltaic panels will be shaded! Shading from other buildings, trees, chimneys, and other rooftop equipment can reduce the performance of the solar energy system. We use special software to estimate the amount of shading your roof receives each day of the year to make sure it isn’t enough to hinder your system performance.

When planning a solar photovoltaic panel installation, we don’t just come out and begin throwing panels up on your roof. We take the time and do the leg work to ensure your roof is the right location for panel installation. Smith Sustainable Design wants to maximize the performance of your solar photovoltaic panels, and these roof check areas are the first step in doing so.

1 Comment
Apartment Roofer link
12/16/2013 03:22:49 am

Sounds like an excellent planned out strategy for the installation of solar roof panels. This was a good read.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Categories

    All
    Electric Solar Energy
    Energy Monitoring
    Geothermal Heating And Cooling Systems
    Geothermal Heating Systems
    Geothermal Heat Pump
    Ground Source Heat Pump
    Hybrid Hot Water Heater
    Photovoltaic Solar Panels
    Solar Heat Systems
    Solar Hot Water Systems
    Solar Leasing
    Solar Panels
    Solar Power Systems
    Solar Thermal
    Solar Thermal Water Heaters

    RSS Feed

Copyright © 2021  •  Smith Sustainable Design. •  All rights reserved
Home Improvement Contractor Registration No. PA078100 and NJ13VH06277800
Master HVACR Contractor License No. 19HC00298700

Follow Us!

Home  -  About Us  -  Solar Power  -  Solar Water Heater  -  Geothermal Heating and Cooling  -  Energy Audit  -  Contact Us  -  Blog -  Site Map