Solar panel installation is becoming more popular as environmental awareness grows. Combine that with lower prices and greater energy efficiency than ever before, and it’s no surprise that solar panels appear on an increasing number of Australian roofs! Perhaps you are one of them. If so, you’re doing the right thing for the environment and your wallet.
Of course, just like any other major home improvement project or significant change to your building plan, there are numerous factors to consider when planning for solar panels. Aside from obvious considerations like sunlight and shade, you’ll also need to consider whether your roof is “solar-ready.” What exactly do we mean by this? Our metal roofing experts will be more than happy to explain it on this blog.
What Qualifies a Roof as “Solar-Ready?”
While you can install solar panels on most roofs, installing solar panels on certain roofs requires significantly more effort. Do you want to use solar panels for your upcoming construction project? If this is the case, keep the following in mind to identify which roof is “solar-ready”.
Roof Material
Solar panel installation necessitates a significant amount of cutting and drilling. Certain roofing materials are better suited to this than others; for example, drilling into tile can break it if done incorrectly.
Roof Angle and Pitch
Solar panels have an optimal angle for energy production or a “sweet spot” for maximum efficiency. If your roof has an unusually steep or flat pitch, you may need to drill mountings and brackets to compensate.
Roof Condition
Another factor to consider is the condition of the roof. While today’s sleek and modern solar panels aren’t as heavy as their vintage counterparts, they’re still a reasonable weight. Your roof must be strong enough to support solar panels. Before going solar, contact your trusted roofer to schedule a roofing inspection to be sure.
Why Is Metal Roofing Perfect for Solar Panel Installation?
Almost all roofs are suitable for the installation of solar panels. However, if you ask us, metal roofing is, without a doubt, the most cost-effective and easiest to work with. Metal roofing has several characteristics that make it more suitable for solar panel installation.
As previously stated, solar panel installation necessitates a significant amount of drilling, either to attach solar panels or mountings. You cannot drill directly into tiles on a tile roof because not only will this cause the tiles to crack, but it will also make your roof less stable due to the way the tiles are attached to your roof. You must also remove individual tiles before solar panels can be attached to the roof frame, with gaps cut into the tile to accommodate the panel.
Metal roofing does not have to deal with these issues. Solar panels can be installed directly into metal roofs without fear of cracking or breaking. All your solar installer needs to do is drill into a metal roof section with a timber rafter underneath. A waterproof coat is applied to the area right after. This speeds up the installation process, saving you a lot of time and effort, and saving you money!
Now that you know what makes metal roofing the more solar-friendly roofing material than others, you can’t go past Johnson Roofing for expert installation. Call our experts at 09 447 3857 or fill out our online form to get a quote.