If your home or business has a metal roof, you might be wondering whether it’s possible to have a solar panel system installed on it. Fortunately, metal roofs are ideal for solar panels, and when the two are combined, they make for an indominable environmentally conscious combo! Metal roofs are also less likely to have algae growing on them where the roof and the solar panel meet, creating less roof problems such as leaking.
Here are some other reasons why solar panels are a great choice for a building with a metal roof:
- Both are energy saving – metal naturally reduces a homeowner’s reliance on heating and cooling due to its ability to repel the sun’s heat in the summer, and retain the heat during the winter.
- Lower utility bills – solar panels save on energy because reliance on them reduces the need to use the electrical power grid. As a result, energy companies tend to lower monthly bills for homeowners with solar panels installed.
- Tax breaks – there are possible tax breaks to be had when you choose to rely on renewable energy instead of the power grid.
While metal roofs and solar panel systems are typically a match made in heaven, there are a couple of disadvantages that it’s worth noting:
- Metal roofs are costly – despite them being aesthetically pleasing and eco-friendly, and while solar panel prices have decreased significantly in recent years, they still require a substantial investment
- The cost of replacing them can be high – should a piece of large debris happen to fall on the metal roof with a solar panel on it, even if only a small section of the roof is damaged, the cost of replacing it can be significant
- Watch out for your warranty with poor installation – should you decide to cut corners and go with a solar panel installer that isn’t very experienced or who doesn’t care about the quality of their workmanship, if they don’t install the panels properly on the metal roof, the roofs warranty could be at risk.
Having solar panels installed on a metal roof
The best thing to do before you go ahead and have solar panels installed, is to ask a qualified roofer to assess your metal roof and check that it’s able to support a solar panel system. For new metal roofs, this shouldn’t be a problem, but of your roof is older, it may need to be repaired or replaced before the system can be installed.
There’s absolutely no reason why a metal roof in good condition can’t support a solar panel system, and when combined, help you get one step closer to reducing your carbon footprint.
