As solar panel technology continues to evolve, more households and commercial buildings are finding roof solar panel installation more viable. However, before heading down to the nearest solar panel specialist to have the entire system set up, it’s worth taking the time to assess if your roof is indeed suitable for such a system to be installed in the first place. Here are some factors to consider before making a decision to have these panels installed.
The Direction Your Roof is Facing
Solar PV panels work best on a broad, south-facing roof. Ideally, the roof should be facing true south, which is different from the south that compasses reflect — to determine true south, simply look up your roof on Google Maps with the grid enabled that will point you to the right direction. If you’re unable to orient your panels to face true south, southeast and southwest-facing panels work as well. Additionally, consider using a rack to help you get the best panel orientation. That being said, it doesn’t necessarily mean that roofs that aren’t aligned to the south can’t support solar panels effectively; east and west exposures are still viable depending on the shading. Solar panels can still produce a decent amount of electricity even if they aren’t facing directly south. If you’re unsure about the viability of your roof, you should also consider contacting a solar panel specialist to make that judgement call for you.
How Old Your Roof Is
Typically speaking, the lifespan of a new solar panel installation is between 25–40 years, so you’ll want to ensure that your roof is in good condition and doesn’t need to be replaced anytime soon. This will save you from further headache and expenditures when you have everything installed only to realise that your roof won’t be able to sustain those solar panels in the long run. It’s probably best to have a contractor look at the state of your roof and if there are issues, fix it before considering installing solar panels.
The Gradient of Your Roof
While flat roofs are still suitable for roof solar panel installation, the ideal roof orientation is a 30–40-degree slope. For solar panels to be self-cleaning, they need to at the very least be sloped at 15 degrees. Conversely, the maximum angle for solar panels is 40 degrees, as anything steeper than that will render the panels ineffectual as they won’t be able to capture sufficient sunlight to produce enough electricity.
Amount of Shade on Your Roof
The amount of shade your roof has can affect the performance and output of your solar panel installation, so you’ll need to determine just how much shade your roof receives during the day, and for how long. Shade can come from various sources, such as neighbouring buildings, surrounding vegetation and foliage, and so on. A solar panel specialist is probably the best person to help you assess your situation and while there really isn’t much you can do about surrounding buildings, you can certainly do something about trimming trees just a little to create less shade.
Whatever your concerns are, rest easy in the knowledge that our team at Perry Management Clean Energy has the expertise and experience to assuage them and help you bring your solar panel vision to fruition. For more information about our services, please visit our website.
