Thursday, August 3, 2017

How do solar panels impact the cost of re-roofing?

I am not trying to be a kill-joy, but I am curious about how the complexity of roof-top solar panels impacts the cost of re-roofing.

Nearly all of the houses around here have asphalt shingles although steel roofs are becoming more popular for re-roofing.  Asphalt shingles have a service life of 20-to-30 years if the roof is properly vented.  Solar panels are usually considered to have a 25 year service life.  I suppose one could try to synchronize their life-cycles, but what about the building owner who puts solar panels on a ten or fifteen year old roof?

Just wondering.


4 comments:

  1. I have two neighbors with shingle roofs that did this, about 10 years after their homes were built. I just can't see hammering nails into asphalt shingles and expecting it to remain rainproof. Plus, the reroofing? And that's not even to deal with the issue of it being a tax deal that the state and Feds will rescind when the fiscal going gets tough. My only foray into solar is a small recharging station to use to keep double a batteries up and going. Thanks for your blog btw, I've particularly liked your tree posts as we are dealing with incipient emerald ash borer devastation. Tim

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  2. Putting anything o a roof is asking for a leak. I put a steel roof on the house in 2006. It was a simple matter of hiring a reputable contractor, and paying his price. (Shop around, I saved about $4K by shopping contractors). I have a 50 year warranty, so I'm good. I'll never put another roof on this house, but if I get solar panels, they're going on a desperate structure. I'm thinking that a simple shade awning would hold solar panels nicely.

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  4. useful information on topics that plenty are interested on for this wonderful post.Admiring the time and effort you put into your b!.. Easy Roofing

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