Written on Wednesday, February 13th, 2019
If you are considering going with solar energy for your home, you may be wondering if your roof type is compatible. The truth is solar panels can be installed on most roofs, but some roof types are better than others. Slate and wood roofs are the least compatible – and therefore not recommended for solar – because the roof material may deteriorate or break. Here are the most compatible roof materials for installing solar panels.
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Asphalt: An asphalt roof is a great candidate for solar panel installations. There is very little chance of roof damage, and mounts that penetrate roofs won’t cause damage.
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PVC or TPO: Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) roofs and thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) roof materials are most often flat, making solar installations easy and inexpensive.
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Clay or Spanish Tile: Clay or Spanish tile roofs are ideal for solar installations. Standard mounts can be used during the installation, and it is even possible to integrate a mount into one of the tiles, making installation even easier.
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Metal roofs: Many metal roofs have standing seams which make it very easy to install solar panels. The installation specialist can use a mounting system that attaches to the standing seam.
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EPDM rubber: Many commercial buildings are constructed with EPDM rubber roofs. Weighted mounting systems can be used without having to make holes in the roof.
Solar energy installations are becoming less expensive with each passing year. The savings in energy costs will eventually pay for the installation costs. Solar technology has come a long way in recent years, and solar panels can successfully be installed with many roof types.
