Do Solar Panels Extend Roof Life (or Weaken It)?

Roofs are possibly the most important part of a home. They protect you and your property from the elements and of course, unwanted intruders. Try and imagine for a moment your home without a roof. You wouldn’t feel very warm or secure, would you?

The first roofs were made from thatch and clay. They can be dated back as far as 10,000 B.C. Today asphalt shingles are the most popular roofing material, protecting 75% of homes in North America from snow, rain, and the occasional bird dropping.

Solar panels are a much younger invention than roofs, having been around for less than a hundred years. It is hard to think of a solar panel without picturing them on top of a roof, isn’t it? Yet only 6% of homes in the US have solar.

Most of that is solar panels installed on roofs. A common question people have when they think of putting solar on their roof is what impact that will have on their roof. Would putting solar panels damage the roof? Is their roof too old to put solar panels on?


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Do Solar Panels Make a Roof Last Longer?

Solar panels do not directly increase or reduce the lifespan of a roof. The age or degradation of a roof is mostly influenced by natural aging due to exposure to the elements. Depending on the material and workmanship, a roof can last anywhere between 25-and 50 years. Most roofs, which are made from asphalt are warrantied for up to 25 years.

Slate tile roofs can even go up to 100 years! (Source)

If you are very much concerned about your roof, we do recommend that you check out our post : Will Solar Panels On Roof Void Roof Or Panel Warranty?!

Also find out : Can Solar Panels Be Installed on A Metal Roof? Factors to Consider!

Solar panels are warrantied for up to 25 years. While the warranty is set at 25 years, solar panels will still produce energy long after the warranty has expired. Many solar panels have been in operation for 40 years out there. For more on this, check out our post Do Solar Panels Expire? What Life Span To Expect!(Source)

Do Solar Panels Weaken Your Roof?

Solar panels do not weaken a roof structure. Roofs can support around 20 pounds per square foot of weight. Solar panels add only between 2.8-5 pounds of weight per square foot so roofs are perfectly capable of supporting the extra weight.

For more on solar panel weight, check out our post titled ” How Much Weight Do Solar Panels Add to A Roof? What You Need To Know!

When installed correctly following local building codes, solar panels do not pose any risk to a roofing structure. Installing solar panels will not damage a roof so it should not be a source of concern. The only danger is in not having skilled guidance or a professional to do it.

Will Solar Panels Be Blown Off the Roof?

A typical concern with solar panels is that they will either be blown off in a storm or will create leaks in the roof. While these concerns are reasonable, they are unjustified.

In the first case, solar panels are installed using secure mounting that fastens the solar panels to the roof. They will not be blown off nor will they cause a roof to be blown off with them in the event of strong winds. Solar panels can withstand winds of up to 140 MPH.

In the second case, not all solar panel installations involve actual drilling of the roof structure. Those that do, however, follow strict procedures to seal up the entry points to prevent leakages. Solar installers are highly incentivized to ensure the quality of their work. You can be confident that if they are certified professionals, they are out to make their installation as secure as possible.

For more on this topic, we recommend that you check out our post “Can Solar Panels Fall or Be Blown Off a Roof?

How Solar Panels Are Installed on A Roof ?

Typically, solar panels will be installed in four stages.

  1. The home is evaluated to see whether the roof is suitable to install solar on. If it is suitable the installer will move ahead with the installation or recommend roof repairs or replacement.
  2. The mounting for the solar panels is installed first. The mounting is the racks that sit directly on the roof. The solar panels sit on the mounting. Any holes used to install the racking are sealed to prevent leaks. For more on this topic, check out our post ” Do Solar Panels Cause Roof Leaks? What You Need To Know!
  3. The next step is to place and secure the solar panels on the mounting.
  4. Finally, the electrical wiring is done to connect the solar panels to the rest of the system.

Do Solar Panels Help Protect Your Roof?

Solar panels do protect your roof from the elements. As they cover your roof, solar panels reduce the roof’s exposure to the sun and extreme weather conditions.

Hail, snow, and even rain bearing down on your roof can wear it down if not cause direct damage to your roof. Similar to how your roof protects you and your property from the elements, a solar panel does the same for your roof.

Solar panels also provide shade from the sun. Being exposed to less direct sunlight reduces the degradation caused by heat on roof shingles. Solar panels even work to cool a building’s ceiling by 5 degrees. Without solar panels, a roof absorbs more direct heat from the sun. (Source)

Solar panels can reflect the heat and direct airflow in the space between the solar panel and the roof.

For more on this topic, check out our post: “Do Solar Panels Protect Your Roof? What You Must Know!”

&

Do Solar Panels Reflect Or Absorb Light? All You Need to Know!

Can You Put Solar Panels on A 20-Year-Old Roof?

Solar panels are best installed on newer roofs. The cost to put solar panels on an old roof only to have to replace both the roof and solar panels a few years later can be too great. It is best, therefore, to consider replacing the roof first.

The condition of the roof is, however, a strong determining factor. The fact that the roof has reached a certain age does not necessarily mean it has reached its end of life. It may very well be in serviceable condition.

Depending on the material, the weather in the area, and the workmanship it may be unnecessary to replace the roof to install solar panels.

If rooftop solar is not feasible, there is always the alternative of installing solar on the ground. Installing solar on the ground has a few advantages compared to rooftop solar.

Ground-mounted solar allows for easier access for maintenance and cleaning of the solar panels for instance. The biggest disadvantage to ground mounting, however, is it is more expensive and takes up more real estate. Also, find out Do Roof Solar Panels Need to Be Cleaned? Why, How & How Often!

sherifjallad

I am a very well-experienced techie civil engineer who’s extensively interested in solar panel technology and even more captivated by the potential of solar panels in supporting individual residential units.

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