Will solar work on my roof?

There are four factors that determine if solar will thrive on your roof: angle, shading, surface and strength. Give us a call for more information!

There are four factors that determine if solar will thrive on your roof: Angle, Shading, Surface and Strength. Ideally, you should have a south-facing roof. South-facing roofs maximize the amount of sunlight your panels collect. The more sunlight they collect, the quicker you can pay off your system with the electricity it generates. If your roof faces due east or west, it is still possible to go solar, but the panels will produce less energy (about 75% of what a south-facing roof would produce). If you have a flat roof, the panels can be installed to face due south no matter how your roof is oriented. Once you’ve determined that your roof faces the right way, the next step is to ensure that your roof is not shaded. The portions of the roof where solar will be installed should be free of shade for most of the day, as shade can significantly reduce electricity production. Trees, chimneys, and dormers are factors that can cause shading on a roof. If you’re not sure if your roof is shaded, an installer can use a tool called a solar pathfinder to figure out if trees or other objects will cast shade during the day. Solar systems are most efficient when they are installed in a large interrupted space. Things like dormer windows, chimneys, vents, skylights, air conditioning units can be obstacles to installing a system.