Carbon Dan here from Carbon Recall, your neighborhood solar experts. We have spoken with a lot of people about solar panels for their homes, and have found that we run into certain myths or misconceptions about the industry all the time!
Whether these myths are driven by an eager marketing industry, or just common knowledge that everybody seems to have unofficially shared...like blowing in the cartridge of an NES game did MORE damage than good...but be honest, we ALL did it!
This week we want to cover a misconception that we hear all the time.
Will solar panels actually damage or weaken your roof?
The short answer is no! If installed by professionals, a solar panel system can lengthen the life of your roof by shielding it from the elements that plague normal roofs, such as wind, rain, and hail.
Before we get into how solar panels are installed though, we want to clarify one item.
If your roof is approaching the end of its life or has already started leaking, you need to consider replacing the roof before moving forward with solar. It’s not a must, but you will just end up paying for the panels to be removed and replaced when it is finally time to address your roof.
Most reputable solar panel companies should be able to offer you bundled pricing if you let them repair your roof and install the panels at the same time. This will also come with the added benefit of classifying your roof repair as part of the solar panel job, which will allow tax credits to apply toward the cost of repair.
When it comes to the actual installation of your solar panel system though, the flashing feet are the only area of penetration into your roof, and also provide support to the panels to prevent excessive strain to the framing structure of your roof.
Each solar panel is supported by a set of 4 flashing feet, which distributes the weight evenly across multiple points of your roof structure. Each flashing foot is anchored to the roof with a rather sizable lag bolt. The penetration point of the lag bolt is sealed, and a roof sealant is also applied underneath the flashing foot, which when used as designed, eliminates any risk of leaking.
With each panel being supported by 4 of these lag bolts, most systems are even rated to withstand winds from a category 2 hurricane!!
While most installation companies will warranty the installation, it is always a good idea to have insurance coverage for the installation. The panels and major components of the system will come with a warranty already, so you are insuring your home with the installation.
If you have another myth you would like to have addressed, leave it in the comments and we will try to get to it.
Looking for more reading on becoming grid independent, then check out our series on ‘Achieving a Net0 Home’, and yes, it is absolutely possible!!
Ready to see what a system for your home would cost? Get in touch with us today for a free, no-obligation, quote!
Until next time energy heroes!
Carbon Recall York
Daniel@CarbonRecallYork.com
803-306-6380 (NET0)
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