Can You Put Solar Panels On A Metal Roof? (Find Out Now!)

Solar panels are one of the most popular home additions in America right now. You can get tax incentives for them, people will be more likely to buy your home, and oh yeah! You also get the perk of being able to reduce your energy bills. The thing is, there are a lot of rumors about solar panels, including issues relating to where they can and cannot be installed. Metal roofs, for example, are a common questionable surface…

While it is not the easiest thing in the world to do, you absolutely can put solar panels on a metal roof. In order to do it, you’ll probably need to hire a professional roofer to work alongside your solar panel installer. However, it’s absolutely doable.

If you have a metal roof, it’s only normal to worry about the potential of cracks that could happen as a result of a bad installation. Before you call up a solar panel installer, you probably are going to want to learn about the perks and pitfalls of having them on a metal roof.

There are a lot of rumors regarding solar panel installation, especially when it comes to metal roofs. Many people assume that installing anything on a metal roof is a bad idea. However, this is only a half-truth. It’s only truly dangerous to your roof if the solar panels aren’t connected properly or if the installation is botched.

When installed improperly, solar panels can cause leaks in a roof. More alarmingly, they also can cause roofing to become electrically-charged, which can potentially cause a fire or shock people nearby. This is why it’s so important to make sure that you have a qualified person doing your installs.

If you’re in an area where solar panels aren’t quite common yet, then you might have experienced a company that hung up as soon as they heard you say “metal roof.” It’s sadly not uncommon. Metal roofing is considered to be the hardest type of roofing for solar panel installation purposes.

With most other types of roofing, it’s possible to use hammers and nails to pierce through shingles, then use tar to help ensure that the roof remains leak-free. Metal doesn’t have that capability, as metal shingles are prone to cracking. Moreover, removing the shingles themselves can be a pain in the butt.

But, there’s a bigger issue that impedes a lot of companies from installing roofing: the newness of the process. Metal roofs are still somewhat new—at least in their modern form. This means that companies haven’t fully figured out the best way to handle installation on roofing and that training employees can be a bit. So some companies are still skittish about it.

This actually varies greatly depending on the wattage of your system. Most homes in the United States will have systems that are between 3kW to 8kW in rating, with 6Kw being the most common. A typical system will cost between $2.50 to $3.50 to install, though some may charge extra due to the presence of metal roofing.

A typical solar panel is pretty large, often upwards of 400 square feet. This means that a typical installation can range between $9,000 to $28,000 depending on the wattage as well as the overall size of the panels. While the range itself is high, you can expect a price tag of around $19,000 for panels on a metal roof.

If the price of solar panels is intimidating, don’t panic. They pay for themselves in both tax rebates as well as decreased electricity bills. In fact, many companies will even help you finance them. When in doubt, just ask what is available to you.

Related Questions

How long do solar panels usually last?

This is a loaded question since solar panel creation is currently going through a major change. New improvements in R&D gave scientists ways to increase durability without increasing the price tag. So, to a point, it depends on what panels you got as well as when you got them.Older solar panel models have a maximum lifespan of seven to 10 years, depending on maintenance and current weather conditions. Newer panels boast a lifespan that can be up to 20 years with proper maintenance. No matter how you look at it, it’s still a great long-term investment.

Do solar panels work at night?

While some rumors have gone around claiming that they do, the truth isn’t quite so simple. Solar panels don’t actually work at night or during days here everything is cloudy and overcast. They do, however, come with the ability to gain a lot of power during the day and store that energy for nighttime use.So while you cannot get new power from your solar panels after the sun sets, you shouldn’t assume that they are going to be totally useless once the sun’s not there. They still can provide some power through the use of the bank.

Can solar panels gain power from strong moonlight?

This is a strange answer for many since the moon can shine brightly at times, but no. The key element that makes solar panels capable of making energy is the photon. Photons are a part of natural sunlight. Moonlight is a reflection of the photons that hit the moon. It doesn’t produce them itself.Since there are no photons in moonlight, it’s not actually possible for solar panels to produce any energy during the night. Well, at least you get to enjoy the beautiful moonlight, right?