You've been around Littleton, CO, for as long as you can remember, and you do remember that your asphalt shingle roofs have been protecting your home for the longest time. With solar technologies rapidly evolving yet becoming affordable, the household decides to use them as an offsetting energy source for appliances and other electricals. However, you fret that your traditional asphalt shingle roofs might not hold the dense and weighted solar panels.
Fact: asphalt shingle roofs have an excellent lifespan, offer great protection, and carry solar panels efficiently as long as it has great roofing support structures. You won't need to spend on a new roof when using solar panels. However, you should replace your roofing material with the same material (if you choose to) before installing your solar panels.
Solar panels can last up to 50 years with consistent maintenance. If you're using an asphalt shingle roof with only ten years left in its lifespan, you'll want to switch to a longer-lasting one that matches your solar panel. Plus, aging asphalt shingle roofs have easily eroding material, which can endanger your solar panels with an accidental fall.
Fortunately, if you plan to replace your Littleton, CO roof, you have a wide variety of fully compatible roofing materials that can handle solar panels. Solar Learning Center has an excellent list of roofing materials compatible with solar panels. Read more about them below.
Common Roof Types For Solar
Composite roofing is the most common roof type in general. Because of this, there is a large number of individuals who are looking to install solar panels on their composite roofing. Composite shingles, or asphalt shingles, are utilized in this roof type and are made from a fiberglass or cellulose mat. Asphalt and other minerals are then added to the shingle to produce the final product.There are many benefits that come with using composite roofing. Some of these include a cheaper cost, flexibility in its look (can be adapted to look like most materials), and its durability. A composite roof type is one of the best options for solar panels.
Tile roofing is another very common roof type that can be found in almost any neighborhood. Tiles, themselves, can be made of different materials, and that is why it is important to accurately determine what materials your tiles are made out of before proceeding. For example, installing solar panels on clay tiles may be more expensive than installing on concrete tiles.
When a solar panel array is installed on a tile roof, they will need to be attached to brackets that will lift the panels above the roof. The distance that the panels must be raised will be dependent on the material itself, and the cost is also affected based on what material the tiles are.
Metal roofing with standing seams is the best roof type for the installation of solar panels. The standing seams on these roofs make the attachment of the panel array incredibly easy, and with easier installation comes a cheaper cost. You also do not have to drill any holes into your roof with this roof type.Metal Roofing and SolarSome of the other benefits of metal roofing are that, by itself, it is already more eco-friendly. They are made out of recycled materials and are durable enough to last for over 30 years. Metal roofs with standing seams can allow you to install both thin film and standard PV panels. These roof types also reflect a significant amount of sunlight where it is not being absorbed by the solar panel, which leads to a cooling effect. (Continued)
If you have yet to find a dependable Littleton, CO roofer and solar panel installation team, you can always count on us at Roper Roofing & Solar. Contact us today to learn more about everything that we can accomplish with you.
