Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This page may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I have recommended. There is no additional cost to you whatsoever.
In a world of steadily growing power prices, photo voltaic power has by no means seemed as enticing as at present — it’s undeniably inexpensive than fossil fuel-generated energy. While cumbersome photo voltaic panels have been the norm for solar-powered properties, extra householders are turning to the rising number of photo voltaic roofing choices for a extra enticing roof.
Although they’re efficient at producing power, photo voltaic panels haven’t at all times been very enticing. They will be heavy, cumbersome, and might decrease your own home’s curb attraction even whereas they’re decreasing your power prices. A sleeker different, photo voltaic roofing seems extra like a conventional roof fabricated from shingles, tiles, or steel panels. But identical to photo voltaic panels, a photo voltaic roof harvests the solar’s power to transform it into electrical energy you need to use day-after-day.
The major downside of photo voltaic roofs proper now’s the associated fee. Compared to the average cost to replace a roof ($14,000 for a 2,000 square-foot architectural shingles roof at $7-$15 per sq. foot) and the cost to install solar panels ($18,000 for a 6-kilowatt system put in on the roof) mixed, photo voltaic roofs will be extra pricey.
In this text, we’ll take a look at the various kinds of photo voltaic roofing, their professionals and cons, and the typical value to have them put in in 2021. Is a photo voltaic roof proper to your house?
Solar Shingles
Solar shingles are one of many hottest buzzwords within the photo voltaic business proper now. These extremely sturdy roofing shingles mimic the look of a shingle roof however are embedded with silicon photo voltaic crystals. This can ideally provide the better of each worlds; a lovely roof and decreased power payments.
Available Options
As of proper now, there are 4 major manufacturers of photo voltaic shingles: Tesla, CertainTeed, Luma, and SunTegra. Of these, CertainTeed is a roofing and constructing materials producer that has jumped into the photo voltaic power sport. The others started as photo voltaic firms, then branched into roofing. All these firms provide photo voltaic shingles that match the looks of conventional asphalt shingles, concrete tiles, or shingles that take a look all their very own with a glossy, black, flat look. The rising number of designs means which you can have your photo voltaic cells and a lovely look that enhances your own home.
Advantages and Disadvantages
The most necessary benefit to utilizing photo voltaic shingles is the improved curb attraction to your house after they’re put in. Rather than giant, heavy panels put in over your present roofing, a contemporary photo voltaic roof will appear like, properly, a roof. Without the panels mounted in your roof, you additionally don’t have to fret about leaks or roofing deterioration; photo voltaic shingles are surprisingly sturdy and long-lasting.
In most situations, it is strongly recommended that you simply cowl your entire roof with photo voltaic shingles so as to maximize your output and get the identical quantity of wattage as with photo voltaic panels. In some circumstances, it’s additionally doable to combine the photo voltaic shingles with different roofing supplies. Depending on the producer, you could want to make use of their non-solar shingles to create a match with the remainder of the roof. For instance, you probably have an space that’s perpetually within the shade, and also you select Tesla shingles, you will have to make use of Tesla’s non-solar shingles within the shady areas to match your photo voltaic shingles.
Solar shingles do have some drawbacks in comparison with conventional panels. Each photo voltaic shingle tends to provide much less wattage than the identical space of conventional panels. To equal the output of the usual 10 to 14 panels a home may have, you will have to cowl your total roof with photo voltaic shingles. On the opposite hand, mixing photo voltaic and non-solar shingles can present flexibility. For instance, in order for you the shingles to energy your storage solely, you possibly can simply set up them there. There could also be a delicate distinction within the look of the shingles on the 2 areas.
You’ll additionally have to be sure that your total roof is freed from particles, dust, and snow to assist preserve energy flowing optimally.
Average Costs
Costs will range relying on the model. For most photo voltaic shingles, count on to pay between $20 and $25 a sq. foot for many properties, round $45,000 for a 2,000 square-foot roof.
Metal Solar Roofing
Metal photo voltaic roofing is an alternate for many who need all-over photo voltaic roofing however don’t just like the look or prices of shingles. A steel photo voltaic roof is actually a standing seam roof with photo voltaic movie contained in the steel sections. Your roof might be almost similar to another standing seam steel roof — it is a roof fabricated from steel panels with a connecting seam that sits above the panels themselves. They’ll have all the advantages of a steel roof, equivalent to sturdiness, however with the added bonus of photo voltaic know-how as properly.
Available Options
Several firms make steel photo voltaic roofing, together with INroof Solar and Roofit.solar. Because the photo voltaic know-how is constructed into the roof, their roofs look similar to a daily standing seam steel roof.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Metal photo voltaic roofing comes with most of the identical issues as photo voltaic shingles. You should set up them over your total roof to get the identical advantages. And that you must preserve your entire roof freed from snow, dust, and particles. One benefit of the metal roofing, nonetheless, is that snow tends to slip proper off, so that you’re much less more likely to have to get on the market and do it your self. Metal photo voltaic roofing additionally seems like conventional standing seam roofing and is extremely sturdy. It’s not more likely to crack or dent in storms or with hailstones, so it may outlast conventional panels.
Average Costs
Prices begin round $12.75 a sq. foot for a steel photo voltaic roof, which is on the excessive finish of a conventional steel roof, however decrease than the price of photo voltaic shingles. Your prices can range by firm and design, in addition to by the whole measurement of your roof; nonetheless, you possibly can count on the price of steel photo voltaic roofing to start out round $25,000 for a 2,000 square-foot roof.
Interlocking Solar Roof Panels
After years of excessive prices, photo voltaic roof panels at the moment are the least costly and best technique to get photo voltaic power to your own home. But most individuals don’t just like the racking system, which is each seen and might injury the roof beneath. Interlocking photo voltaic roof panels remedy these points. Essentially, these are photo voltaic panels that set up proper in your roof deck — no racking or roofing materials beneath them. The edges of the panels interlock and are sealed to create one, easy, full floor. While these are extra seen than photo voltaic shingles or steel panels, they’re much less apparent than conventional photo voltaic panels. They may also probably present extra wattage for the protection, permitting you to go off-grid extra simply.
Available Options
As of proper now, two firms are making one of these photo voltaic roofing: GAF and SunTegra. GAF is likely one of the oldest roofing producers, which signifies that they perceive the restrictions of what will be positioned on a roof deck. SunTegra, then again, is healthier versed in photo voltaic know-how and maximizing the output from every panel. Both can provide you a sleek-looking roof with out the steel racking system of conventional photo voltaic panels.
Advantages and Disadvantages
The largest benefit of this method is its simplicity and effectivity. A conventional photo voltaic set up would begin with a brand new roof, in case you wanted one, with the photo voltaic panels put in on prime. But with this method, there’s no want to put in a brand new roof as a result of the panels are the roofing — there is no such thing as a roof beneath the panels. As a end result, the panels are much less outstanding than conventional photo voltaic panels, and issues about heavy panels damaging the roof are nearly eradicated. This possibility additionally has the potential to provide increased watts than different varieties of photo voltaic roofing.
Depending in your aesthetics, one downside with this method is that it’s going to appear like you lined your roof with photo voltaic panels. The panels are easy and put in collectively over everything, but it surely doesn’t appear like another roofing materials presently in use at present. Also, they are often costlier than another photo voltaic installations, significantly in case you don’t want a brand new roof.
Average Costs
This possibility of photo voltaic roofing tends to be priced by the watt, very similar to conventional photo voltaic programs. But whereas a photo voltaic panel system put in on an current roof could value slightly below $3 a watt, these programs value nearly $5 a watt, together with the supplies that might not be producing photo voltaic power. This signifies that for a 2,000 square-foot house, you’d pay between $30,000 and $35,000 for a 6,000- to 7,000-watt system.
Consider Solar Roofing
Solar panels and photo voltaic power are getting numerous consideration with the rise of power prices and local weather change. Solar power use in a house may even probably increase a home’s value because of the financial savings it may deliver. But panels aren’t the proper match for each house or set up. If you want the concept of photo voltaic power, however not the concept of cumbersome panels in your roof, check out the various kinds of photo voltaic roofing out there at present to see if one in every of these would possibly fit your wants higher.
About the Author
Cristina Miguelez is a reworking specialist at Fixr.com, a web site that connects customers with service professionals of their space and estimates the associated fee for reworking initiatives. She writes about house enchancment ideas and tips to assist householders make higher house reworking selections.
