Pairing Solar Panels With Metal Roofs
In trying to achieve specific outcomes within the realm of sustainability, architects and designers are increasingly learning to pair technologies for improved efficiency or performance. One case in point can be found with the combination of solar photovoltaic power systems mounted to a standing-seam metal roofa result that brings together renewable energy with longevity.
The cost of solar generated electric power is continuing to become a more attractive alternative to electric power generated by traditional methods because of reduced cost for components and new developments in cost-saving mounting techniques. Coupled with choosing the right platform for those solar panels, the long-term costs can make a solar power system a very attractive proposition.
Importance of the platformSince the expected life of a solar power system is 30 to 35 years, it is well beyond the lifespan of most conventional roofs. Generally, the service life of a built-up roof or membrane roof is anywhere from 15 to 20 years with proper maintenance. Consequently, there is a mismatch between the longevity of the base below the solar array and that of the solar array itself. This means there will be significant cost incurred during the lifespan of that solar power system due to the teardown and disassembly of the system during a reroof cycle.
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Fiberglass Batts Or Glass Mineral Wool Metal Roof Insulation
The most common material used for an insulating metal roof is fiberglass batts or glass mineral wool. Both materials make a great physical barrier between the interior building and the metal roof.
The batts are located side to side on the rafter of the roof. Since they do not make a continuous barrier, air could flow through them easily which causes heat loss in the end.
The insulation batts are not a closed system and it may need an additional vapor barrier. Unfortunately, this barrier cannot be installed directly underneath the roof. Once the water reaches the batts, it needs to be replaced.
This insulation type is not great for metal roofing insulation underlayment. It is still able to cause water condensation and heat loss without any option to address it. You can always make an intricate fiberglass insulation system. However, it will add cost for the roofing.
The Advantages Of Installing Solar Panels On A Metal Roof
To sum everything up, mounting solar panels on a metal roof is a great way to cut your electricity costs, save on taxes, and reduce your carbon footprint. Compared to other types of roofs, metal roofs have a few unique advantages.
Metal roof clamps for solar panels can eliminate the need to penetrate the roof during installation. And if penetrations are necessary, the brackets are specifically designed to prevent leaks.
Metal roofs are sturdy and long-lasting. They can support the additional weight of the solar panels, and they can even outlive the duration of the solar panels. This can eliminate complications of having to replace the roof while the solar panels are still in use.
Overall, solar energy can be a great option if you have a metal roof and youre looking for ways to reduce your monthly expenses or reduce your carbon footprint!
Whether youre a farmer looking to control costs or a business looking to increase your profits, a solar energy system can be a great asset for you. Discover how solar can help you make a difference by requesting your free quote using the Get A Quote button at the top of this page.
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How Do I Choose The Solar Mounting System For My Project
Weve put together a series of questions in five categories to help evaluate whether your project would be best suited for railed or rail-less solar mounting. the quick guide version to use on your next project.
Interested in a specific category? Jump to the one you want to read first by clicking below.
Metal Roofs Help Your Home Conserve Energy
Solar panels on a corrugated metal roof help maximize the cooling and energy-preserving benefits of your home, which is an excellent perk for anyone who wants to create a passive energy solution.
Because metal roofs reflect a large amount of sunlight , they can promote massive savings on your electrical bills and ensure your home stays energy-friendly both now and in the future. In fact, some experts have found that metal roofs can save your home up to 40% in air conditioning costs throughout a summer.
When you pair solar panels and metal roofs, you get an eco-friendly home that benefits the environment and works with your surroundings to keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Whats more, both solar panels and metal roofs are fully recyclable at the end of their lifespans.
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Installing Solar Panels On Different Roof Types
If youre considering installing a residential or commercial solar panel system, you might be wondering if your roof type is appropriate for a solar installation. The good news is that solar panels can be installed on just about any roof type, but the installation process and mounting hardware might vary from material to material. In this article, well explore the many types of roofs solar panels can be installed on and how each has a unique installation process.
What Kind Of Roof Materials Are There And How Are They Different For Mounting Solar Panels
If you have a house in Australia, you probably have either a tile roof, a slate or shingle roof, or a corrugated metal roof. Tiles are hard and held together by a combination of mounting hooks and gravitylike a jigsaw puzzle. It is possible to take broken tiles out to replace them, sometimes without any special tools. Shingles and slates, on the other hand, typically have holes in them and are nailed onto the roof substrate. In both cases, they overlap each other so that water does not penetrate the building as rain falls. Corrugated metal roofs are composed of comparably large sheets that usually overlap each other, or may be one large piece. In mounting a PV system on any of these types of roofs, it is important to ensure that no gaps are left in the roof that may later result in leakage.
Mounting a solar array on all of the above types of roof is possible and in fact quite standard practice for solar power system installers, as many installations are retrofit onto the roofs of old homes.
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What Are Solar Panels
A solar panel is a group of silicon, Photovoltaic cells grouped in a glass-topped case to generate environmentally friendly, sustainable, clean energy.
Each cell relies on photons in sunlight to trigger a reaction that generates an alternating current
A nearby solar inverter converts this into usable direct current for home and business use to power household appliances and equipment.
Generated electricity that is surplus to requirements is transported to the power grid.
A series of solar panels is called an array the more panels in your system, the greater the amount of energy production.
Installing Solar Panels On Metal Roof Is Possible
As you can see, both of these methods to install solar on metal roof shingles require installers to cut, seal, and otherwise finagle the solar attachment points, shingles, and flashings to be both structurally sound and waterproof. In comparison, attaching solar panels to vertical seam metal roofs is fairly straightforward.
No matter what though, if you have a metal roof, there is always a way to install solar panels!
Have you installed solar on your metal roof? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
Image Credits under CC License via Pixabay& Flickr 2, 3.
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What Type Of Screw Gun Should I Use To Fasten Metal Roofing Panels
Use an actual screw gun with an adjustable clutch and a depth sensing control feature. Screw guns are designed so that you can adjust the torque which will help eliminate over tightening of the screws. In addition, use a variable speed screw gun which will permit you to change the speed.
If you’re a homeowner and it’s just too expensive to purchase a screw gun for a one time installation there is a solid second option. A variable speed and adjustable driver will still get the job done and you may even already own one of these.
How To Install Corrugated Roofing
This article was co-authored by . Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 20 testimonials and 90% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 964,730 times.
Corrugated roofing is a great way to top a garden shed, shop, or patio. It’s quick, easy, low cost, and you can do it yourself. You only need some basic tools and materials.
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Metal Roofing Solar Panels: The Perfect Combination For Budget
No one would turn away the opportunity to save a few hundred dollars a year on their energy bill. With metal roofing, you may have the opportunity to drive your electricity costs down. Adding solar panels may even put money back in your pocket as electric companies will buy back excess electricity.
Metal roofing sense for a number of reasons:
Roof Space Available For Solar Panels
One obvious factor to be taken into consideration when mounting panels on a roof is the amount of space available on it. A typical polycrystalline or monocrystalline panelmeasures about 1.6m x 1m, and depending on the capacity of your system, for an average 2 or 3-bedroom home, you should be able to fit enough panels to significantly offset your electricity costs on one, or in a stretch, two parts of your roof. Closeness of the panels to your home is not an absolute requirement: the roofs of sheds, garages, and balconies that stand slightly apart from your house may also provide options for placement.
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Its Easy To Mount Solar Panels On A Metal Roof
Typically, your solar installer will drill holes in your roof so that they can attach the mounting for your solar panels. This is one of the main areas of concern for many homeowners considering solar, as an improperly mounted solar panel system can cause leaks or other roof issues. Most qualified solar installers offer workmanship warranties and roof warranties to reassure their customers that there will be no issues with the installation.
If you have a metal roof, however, your solar installer likely wont need to make any holes in your roof at all, which virtually eliminates the possibility of issues down the road. There are a few alternative mounting options that make installing solar on a metal roof easier:
- Standing seam metal roofs: Two different solar panel mount manufacturers, Quick Mount PV and Ecofasten, have products designed specifically for metal roofs with standing seams. If you have a standing seam metal roof, your installer can attach panels using a mounting system that clamps onto the seams of the roof without having to make any holes. As an added bonus, using this type of racking can speed up installation times because your installer wont have to drill holes into the roof.
How Solar Panels Are Mounted On Corrugated Or Ribbed Roofs
The other popular type of metal roof is the corrugated or ribbed roof. Despite being made of similar material, solar panels will be installed a little differently on these types of roofs than they would with a standing seam roof.
Mounting solar panels on a corrugated metal roof will require some penetrations in the roof itself. However, it is done in a manner that will maintain the integrity and weatherproofing of your roof.
A small foot is mounted over or between the ribs, which will lag into the truss or purlin of your roof. A rubber bushing is located on the bottom to securely sealing those holes, keeping water out.
The solar panels and the racking system will then attach to those brackets.
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Solar Roof Mounting For Corrugated Metal Roofs
If you have a metallic corrugated roof, youll need a different mounting system. Special brackets are attached to the top crest of the corrugations, leaving the lower lying drainage areas free from holes.
Top quality brackets will come with rubber gasket seals on the base so your installer doesnt need to worry about applying messy sealant all over your roof.
If You Want To Go Solar But Have A Metal Roof You Might Wonder Whether A Solar Installation Is Even Possible For You
Metal roofs have a lot of benefits and while they make up just a small portion of residential roofs now, they are growing in popularity. If youre interested in solar, this naturally raises the issue of whether solar panels on metal roof is even possible.
When you think about it, metal roofs share many of the same benefits of solar and they are the perfect companions for each other. They are both long-term investments, environmentally friendly, and help you reduce your energy use.
Case in point: Metal roofs are composed of a high percentage of recycled materials and can also be recycled at the end of their life, unlike traditional shingles. They also reflect heat from the sun, instead of absorbing it like composition shingles, thereby reducing your cooling bill. Lastly, while they are more expensive upfront than composition shingles, they last 2 to 3 times longer if installed properly, so you save money in the long run.
If youre wondering if you can put solar panels on a metal roof, in short the answer is yes. How easy or difficult it is though depends on the type of metal roof you have. Find your roof below to see how you can safely install solar panels.
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How To Install Solar Panels On A Metal Roof: 5 Things To Consider
Did you know that your roof already comes with free rails? You can mount PV directly to the roof panels themselves – using the direct-attach method. Whether you are dealing with standing seam or ribbed, face-fastened panels, these metal roofs have one thing in common: They all have built-in rails.
built right in ready for direct attachment of solar panels.) This integrated feature makes solar mounting quick and convenient. The direct-attach method utilizes clamps or brackets and a grab system to marry the module to the clamp or bracket that is mounted directly to the built in rails.
Solar Panels Can Maximize The Cooling Benefits Of A Metal Roof
Homebuilders and contractors often tout the benefits of cool metal roofing to keep your home cool in the summer and reduce your energy use. Metal roofs reflect more sunlight than traditional black asphalt shingles, and some also have reflective paint to increase this effect. Installing PV solar panels can take your electric bill savings a step further simply by shading the roofs surface.
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What Is The Best Type Of Roof For Installing Solar
Technically speaking you can install solar panels on any roof. The distinguishing factor that makes some roofs a poor choice is the extra expense incurred as the degree of difficulty in installation increases.
Wood shake roof is deemed a fire hazard in some jurisdictions however once you procure the permission you will need to use flashing to enable solar panel mounting. Drill the flashing deep into the wood shake and place a watertight seal.
Asphalt composite shingles call for attention in installation to avoid voiding roofing warranty by using unauthorized sealant by the manufacturer. You also need to use flashing that has a raised platform so that the area where the penetration occurs will divert water. The thickness of the shingle also plays a part in determining the best way to use the flashing to avoid poor drainage.
Clay or stone tile roofs are arguably the hardest to install solar panels on. The primary reason for the difficulty is that the tiles first need to be removed to install the flashing and mounts. Once this is done, the tiles then have to be cut so that they dont get in contact with the mounting gear. All this extra work makes for a costly and challenging installation.
On the other hand, a standing-seam metal roof is the easiest type of roof to install solar panels on as you install clamps on the seams to set the base for the racking that will hold up the solar panels.
Install By Using Staples
Using staples will allow you to install the insulation easily and quickly. You can easily install several sheets of the insulation in only a few minutes without worrying about the security.
Staples will also allow you to get a strong attachment without leaving a big hole yet easy to remove them when a repair is needed.
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Benefits Of Having Solar Panels
Purchasing and installing solar panels isnt a small task. Homeowners can expect to spend several thousand dollars on upgrading their homes with solar power sources.
But the benefits of having solar panels far outweigh the initial costs, especially over time. Some of the most notable of these benefits include:
- Reduced electricity bills each month
- Less dependence on the local power company
- Increased property value
Additionally, if your home creates more energy than it consumes, the local power company may end up owing you money! As such, choosing to switch to solar energy is often financially and ecologically beneficial.
Even if you plan on moving out of your current home within the next several years, you may want to consider installing solar panels. Thats because solar power can significantly increase a homes overall value.
You may also be able to take advantage of solar energy incentives and rebates. Occasionally, homeowners see a complete financial return on their solar investments thanks to these helpful programs.
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