Do I Need A New Roof For Solar Panels?

I Have Asphalt Shingles On My Roof

Do I Need A New Roof For Solar Panels? Would you put a new solar system over an old roof?
Do I Need A New Roof For Solar Panels? – Would you put a new solar system over this old roof?

The most usual kind of roof covering product utilized in the United States is asphalt tiles. They vary in cost and high quality and also feature service warranties as short as 1tenyears, as long as 50 years, or a lifetime.

3-tab shingles are the least expensive kind and can feature service warranties ranging from 10 to 30 years. These are thinner than other kinds of asphalt shingles, and they don’t stand too in time.

Building or dimensional asphalt roof shingles are a thicker product, making them more resistant to wind uplift and weathering. Warranties can last 50 years, and CertainTeed supplies a lifetime service warranty.

Before setting up solar panels on your roof, you must determine the shingles you have. A warranty may cover if you have documents from your previous roof work that identify your shingles’ maker.

Before mounting solar panels, you desire a minimum of 15 years of life on your roof covering. As soon as you have a better concept of what’s on your roof, you can determine whether to set up solar panels or not. Do roof replacement now, or wait a couple of years and do solar installation simultaneously.

As an essential guide, it would be a great idea to have at least 15 years of life on your roofing before installing photovoltaic panels. Otherwise, you may need to pay for the solar panel removal and reinstallation as part of a future roof covering repair.

Change your roofing system if it has five years of life left and you intend to go solar.
The decision is easy if your roofing system is nearing the completion of its life. Change it now if you wish to go solar. If you don’t, if your roofing finishes up leaking just a couple of years down the line, you’ll have to pay additional for a solar job as part of the roof repair service.

When you do the roof covering substitute, try to find products with the longest possible service warranty – at the very least , a 25-year life expectancy, and a lot more if you manage it. Solar panels feature 25-year power service warranties ,and at the very least 10-year product service warranties, so they will be up on your roof for a lengthy time.

What to do if your roofing has between 5 and 15 years of life.
ISupposeyour roofer estimates that your roofing is in the middle series of its staying lifespan – around 5 to 15 years of life left – after that, your choice is a little tricker. You do not intend to replace your roof prematurely. Otherwise, you’ll be getting rid of the valuable life of your roof covering.

However if you postpone going solar, you can also quit the power financial savings from creating your power. So just how do you decide?

What Do We Do?

The most effective point you can do is understand how much money you can be saved by determining your repayment duration. The repayment period is the number of years a solar panel system will take to pay back your investment. Depending on where you live, high power costs or discounts can make the payback duration 5 years.

This roof has some life left and still looks good. Good enough for a new solar panel system!
This roof has some life left and still looks good. Good enough for a new solar panel system!

On the various other hand, in some areas in the United States where a lack of rebates and low power rates can make your solar repayment fairly long – 15 years or perhaps longer.

You can estimate your payback duration quickly by using The Solar Nerd calculator. Add your postal code and also information about your roof. You can chart the number of years it will take for you to recover cost on your solar investment.

A calculator is a device for doing a fast price quote on your very own. Contact multiple solar installers for an extra precise assessment, who will provide you a system proposal and power generation estimate.

Determine Roofing Problems On Your Own

Often you do not require a professional roofer to tell you something’s wrong with your roof. Below are a couple of roofing problems that are easy to recognize by yourself.

Missing tiles. This is simple to detect as well as a typical issue. Extreme wind can raise roofing away, leaving a void in protection.
Damaged shingles or floor tiles. Curling roof shingles and cracked roof tiles are easy to identify from the ground. Asphalt roof shingles that have shed excessive granules will quickly weaken from UV direct exposure as well as crinkle around the edges. If you see this, it’s time for a new roof.

A great deal of shingle granules is falling off. If you see granules comming out of your downspouts or captured in your gutters, that’s a sign that your shingles are nearing the end of life. Granules will start to come off the roof shingles as the asphalt dries and degrades. If you see a lot of granules at the base of your downspouts, that’s a sign you need a roofing contractor to take a closer look.

Moist spots in the attic roofing are another sign of a roof in need of replacement. If you see any type of rot or water spots, that’s an indication that you have an issue. Call a roofing professional and see if there is damage.

Who to call if you need a Roof Replacement?

If you’re considering going solar but need a new roof think of working with a solar business specializing in both. While some solar companies subcontract their roof work to other business, there are companies that do solar and roofing.

A roofing company that mounts solar will ensure that proper bolts and waterproofing strategies are used for the setup. They will also do a proper engineering assessment of the weight-bearing capability of the roofing system.

Finally, using the same company for both the solar setup and roof repair can likely discuss some savings versus using two separate companies.

The most typical kind of roof covering substance employed in the US is asphalt roof shingles. They differ in cost and quality, and feature guarantees are as short as ten years, as long as fifty years, and even a lifetime.

3-tab roof shingles are the least expensive type and can feature service warranties varying from 10 to 30 years. These are less substantial than other kinds of asphalt roof shingles and do not stand the test of time.

Architectural or dimensional asphalt roof shingles are a thicker item that makes them more resistant to wind uplift and weathering. You can discover guarantees for as long as fifty years, and CertainTeed even offers a lifetime guarantee with its premium asphalt roof shingles.

What Kind Of Roof Shingles Do I Have?

Before setting up solar panels on your roof, you need to find the kind of roof shingles you have. Preferably, you have records from your last roof replacement that determine your roof shingles’ maker and line of product so that you can search for the guarantee info. If you do not have that useful, call your roofing professional.

You desire a minimum of 15 years of life on your roofing system before setting up solar.
When you have a better concept of what’s on your roofing system, you can choose whether to set up photovoltaic panels, carry out a roofing replacement, or wait a couple of years before doing so replacement and solar setup at the same time.

Have At Least 15 Years Of Shingle Life Left

As an essential guide, it would be a great concept to have at least 15 years of life on your roofing before setting up photovoltaic panels. Otherwise, you might require to pay additional for the photovoltaic panel elimination and reinstallation as part of a future roofing system repair work.

Change your roofing if it has five years of life left and you wish to go solar.
The choice is simple if your roofing system is nearing the completion of its life. Change it now if you want to go solar. If you do not, if your roofing system winds up dripping simply a couple of years down the line, you’ll need to pay additional for solar work as part of the roofing system repair work.

Replace Roofing System With 25 Or More Year Lifespan

When you do the roofing system replacement, try to find items with the longest possible service warranty – a minimum of a 25-year lifespan, and more if you can manage it. Photovoltaic panels feature 25-year power service warranties and a minimum of 10-year item service warranties, so they will be on your roof for a very long time.

What to do if your roofing system has between 5 and 15 years of life?

If your roofing professional approximates that your roofing system remains in the middle of its lifespan – around 5 to 15 years of life left – then your choice is a little tricker. You do not wish to change your roofing system too early. Otherwise, you’ll be getting rid of the useful life of your roofing.

However, if you postpone going solar, you can likewise quit the energy cost savings from creating your electrical energy. So how do you choose? It comes down to a personal decision. Are you going to post up new solar panels over old-looking shingles? If it was my choice, I would probably wait to put on a new roof and just forget about the solar panel system. Different strokes for different folks!

Do I need a new roof for solar panels to come down to make my wife happy? She would probably want a new roof so everything would look brand-new at the same time.

So, “Do I need a new roof for solar panels?” I guess the answer is yes. I was lucky to find I had hail damage ,and the insurance company covered the cost of a roof. I just had to pay the deductible of $2,500.