What’s the Best Kind of Roof Material for Solar Panels?

Solar panels are the next great frontier of free energy technology. While modern developments are increasing rapidly, there are still many questions that we must ask ourselves, especially when we embrace this technology. One of the most central questions we should ask is, "What's the best kind of roof material for solar panels?" This will determine whether solar panels are appropriate for a given structure. Let's answer this question below.

Tiled Roofs

Tiled roofs are most commonly found on the West Coast in urban locales like Los Angeles and desert cities like Phoenix. They tend to top adobe-style ranches, although they can be found throughout the United States. Installing solar panels on clay tiling may be more expensive than on other roof materials because the solar panels have to be installed with brackets attached to rest the panels under the tiles.

Metal Roofing

Let's cut to the chase: metal roofing is ideal for solar panel installation. Metal is incredibly durable and environmentally friendly. In addition to this, it's not uncommon to see them outlive solar panels. The standing seams cause the installation to be quicker and more cost efficient overall, and metal tiles are typically made of recycled materials. Metal roofing is an environmentalist's dream, and solar panels could be considered the icing on the cake, making it definitely among the best kinds of roofs for solar panel installation. 

Wood Roofing

Wood roofing is very common, which is why it's being covered here. Given various fire safety concerns, they may not be the best option for solar panel installation. Nonetheless, it can be done. Ultimately it depends on a variety of factors, including the way the roof is built. It might be wise to choose ground options instead.

In short, roofing is a top consideration in solar panel installation, and some roofs are better candidates than others. Is your roof a good contender? With the information here, you’re now in a position to make a more informed solar panel decision.