Solar Panels On Your Roof: Pros and Cons

Roofing

If you’re interested in investing in a more eco-friendly home, you’ve definitely heard about the option of installing solar panels onto your roof. But whatever you’ve heard may not be the full picture. Roofstar Arizona has put together a list of pros and cons of solar panels on your roof so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not to install solar panels.

Are Solar Panels Bad For Your Roof?

If they are not installed properly, it’s possible that the attachment brackets or method  could damage your roof. However, if they are properly installed by a professional company, there’s little to no chance that solar panels will be bad for your roof.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Having Solar Panels?

There are pros and cons to nearly everything in this world, especially when it comes to roofing materials and additions. So let’s take a look at the pros and cons of adding solar panels to your roof.

Pros:

  • Helps heal the environment: It’s no secret that solar panels are an eco-friendly choice. By harnessing the power of the sun instead of using fossil fuels, solar paneling helps to clean the air, reduce your carbon footprint, and slow the spread of global warming. In addition, using solar paneling also helps move the U.S. towards energy independence by being less reliant on fossil fuels from overseas.
  • Reduces energy bills: Another big reason to go for solar panels is that having your own energy source – especially one that has as much potential as a solar panel in Arizona – will cause your energy bills to go way down, or possibly be eliminated altogether. While the initial cost of solar panels may be high, it will likely more than pay for itself if you plan on living in your current home long-term.
  • Raises the value of your home: Due to the increasing popularity of solar panels, having them installed on your roof will exponentially increase the property value of your home. Should you ever decide to put your house on the market, you’ll likely more than earn back what you spent on the solar panel installation.

Cons:

  • The most important decision for roof top solar is the condition of your roof prior to solar installation. Many Solar Companies will discuss the condition of your roof but others just want to sell you a Solar package. If your roof has ten years or less life expectancy, reroofing (at least where the solar goes) needs to be part of your decision. Spending hundreds or thousands to remove and reinstall a solar array in order to reroof is an unnecessary expense that will leave a bad taste for a long time. Be sure you are dealing with an honest Solar company and if you need to have an accurate assessment of your roofs condition call Roofstar.
  • Hefty initial investment: Solar panels can be great for costs long-term, but the initial cost is very high. Having solar panels installed on your home can cost up to $25,000. While there are cheaper options, and this price may be worth it for some families, this large cost can put off many potential buyers, but you Solar Company should be able to calculate what your energy savings and return on investment (ROI) will be.
  • Solar panels may not be worth the cost if your electricity bills are already low; it’s been established that solar panels are excellent for reducing your energy bills, but if you’ve already got reduced costs, solar panels may ultimately end up being not worth the initial investment.
  • Solar panels don’t work on every roof: While solar panels do work on the majority of roofs, there are some roofs that just aren’t compatible with solar panels. Whether or not solar panels will be the right fit for your roof depends on how much sunshine your roof gets and how shaded it is, and also the orientation of your roof. In addition, some materials and rooftop additions like skylights on roofs can make installing solar panels more difficult.

Have Questions About Solar Panels On Your Roof?

Ultimately, it’s up to you whether or not the pros balance out the cons, or the other way around. If you’re still on the fence, call Roofstar Arizona at (480)-426-1915 for advice about solar panels and erase any doubts you may have about getting them installed on your roof.

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