You’ve already made the decision that solar energy is the direction you’d like to go. Why wouldn’t you, given the overwhelming financial and environmental benefits? But now comes the question of where to install your solar panels. Rooftop installations take advantage of spacious, unused real estate, and they can benefit your home in ways that you may not have considered.
Solar Panels Can Be Good for Your Roof
It’s possible to build a solar array on the ground or plug into a community solar farm. Still, roof installations have been the mainstay of solar-powered homes. There are good reasons for this!
What many people don’t realize is that roof solar panels can do more than generate electricity. A qualified installer will put your panels where the sun shines strongest. Your panels will allow only a minimal amount of direct sun to reach your roofing material. This protects your roof from UV rays that cause bleaching, drying, and decay. When you look at it this way, solar panels can actually extend the life and health of your roof.
Another happy side effect of this is that solar panels absorb much of the heat of the sun. This means that, with solar panels, your roof is cooler than it would otherwise be. When your roof is cooler, the top floor of your home may experience up to a 5ºF temperature drop (according to a UC San Diego study). This can lead to lower air conditioning costs.
Ensuring a Solid Foundation
Asphalt roof shingles should last 25 or more years before they need to be replaced. Wood, tile, or metal roofs may last even longer. Solar PV panels in California must come with a guarantee of 25 years. The two systems can help each other to perform at their best. On the other hand, installing a new solar array on an aging roof can be disastrous. If your aging roof leaks, you can dismantle the array and work on the shingles. But do you want this inconvenience and expense? Avoid the hassle by examining your roof first.
A qualified professional should inspect your roof before adding new construction. A quality solar company will have qualified professionals who will make an accurate evaluation. Once your roof passes inspection, you can feel confident that your solar panels will last for decades.
Making a Solid Connection
Many customers ask how we attach solar panels to their roofs. Each PV panel mounts to a metal racking system. This racking system attaches to your roof with lag bolts. The flashing mounts directly to your rafters, making the solar panel array essentially an extension of your house’s frame. We only use flashing mounts that are designed specifically for roof installations; ones that can be made waterproof and can withstand the elements.
Unirac, Quick Mount PV, and IronRidge are leading manufacturers in the solar industry, and each has impeccable records of customer satisfaction. These mounting systems maximize PV performance by using tilt orientation, innovative tile attachments, and reinforced flashings. We use these trusted brands because the quality of the array is just as important as the quality of your PV panels.
With Synergy Power, you’ll get more than quality solar panels. You’ll get them securely installed on a healthy roof. We stand by our work and guarantee the job we do. In fact, we offer a $500 No Worry Warranty. We guarantee that if one of our attachments leaks, we’ll fix all damage, then give you $500 for the inconvenience. We are so confident that we will do it right the first time, we offer $500 above what most companies promise.
Are you ready to get the maximum benefit out of your energy investment? Contact us today to learn more about how we can get you started in making the switch to solar.