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Pros and Cons of Solar Roofing

Posted on Wednesday, December 15th, 2021 at 8:50 am    

Pros and Cons of Solar RoofingSolar roofing is one of the hottest recent trends in the roofing industry. Solar roofing may take the form of adding raised solar panels to existing roofing systems, although in recent years roofing manufacturers have developed solar power-generating roofing tiles that can be used in lieu of normal roofing tiles on new building construction or re-roofing project.

Homeowners and commercial property owners are adding solar panels or solar roofing for a myriad of reasons, including to help defray utility costs, provide redundancy for power grid failures, improve property values, and address environmental concerns. Although adding solar roofing to your property may seem like an obviously beneficial decision, solar roofing comes with its share of both pros and cons.

Pros of Solar Roofing

The financial benefits of solar roofing are some of the biggest pros in favor of adding solar power generation to a roofing system. A building that has solar roofing can generate its own electricity, rather than drawing it off the power grid. In fact, many residential homes can generate more electricity during the day than the home needs, and the excess can be sold back to the power company. This greatly lowers utility bills for property owners with solar roofing solutions.

Even if the property draws power from the grid at night, the money that is made by selling power to the utility company during the day can offset the cost of electricity needed at night. In addition to lower utility costs, solar roofing can provide financial benefits in the form of increased property values, as purchasers of a residential and commercial property may be willing to pay more for a home or commercial building that already has a solar power system.

Many property owners choose solar roofing for its environmental benefits as well. Properties can become energy self-sufficient or become carbon neutral or better by having a solar roofing system. In addition to the global benefit of relying on renewable solar energy, property owners can help their communities become a little cleaner as well by removing demand from fossil fuel-based power plants.

Finally, solar roofing can provide the benefit of self-sufficiency and redundancy in the event of power grid issues. Some property owners may choose for their solar roofing systems to provide round-the-clock electricity by installing battery banks that the property can draw power from at night. Battery banks can provide a backup solution when the public power grid fails. Solar roofing with battery systems can also allow properties to be built in quiet, remote areas that don’t have access to the power grid.

Cons of Solar Roofing

Despite all the wonderful benefits of solar roofing, these systems do have their downsides and drawbacks. First, while solar roofing can prove economical over time, property owners typically incur significant costs to install solar roofing on their properties. Depending on the size and configuration of a property, a solar roofing system can cost $20,000, and usually far more, to purchase and install.

While some solar roofing manufacturers and installers offer financing to help defray these high upfront costs, such as by collecting the money from the excess power sold to the utility company, the large expense of solar roofing may seem unpalatable to many homeowners, especially if they don’t have plans to remain in their home long-term.

In addition, the effectiveness of solar roofing is entirely dependent on the sun. While areas like Florida, California, and the Sun Belt receive substantial amounts of sunlight, solar roofing is less effective in areas that receive less sun, like areas with cloudier climates or northern latitudes that have short winter days.

Also, some properties may not effectively utilize solar roofing due to the position and configuration of the building structure, or due to other nearby buildings or trees that can block sunlight. While these issues can be mitigated by adding battery banks to store power, that only adds to the cost of systems.

Lastly, one con of solar roofing that many property owners face involves finding a reputable installation company. Many contractors are trying to cash in on the growing popularity of solar roofing. But solar roofing systems are highly complex. An improperly installed system may not only malfunction or not work as efficiently as intended, but it can also damage your property and pose a risk of fire.

Contact Us Today for Help with Your Roofing Project

If you have a roofing project in mind for your home or commercial property, reach out to Kidd Roofing today to see how we can help. Call us at (866) 671-7791 or fill out our roofing estimate form to speak with a roofing professional from our firm about your needs.