If you're contemplating solar power for your home, one of the basic decisions you need to make is if you want to install solar panels or shingles. Each has its advantages. However, shingles aren't as common, so you'll need to find out if they're available in your area. If so, you can compare the two choices to decide what's best for your home. Here's how the panels and shingles compare.
Appearance
Solar panels rest higher than your roof, so they are quite obvious from the street. This may not matter much to you, but if you don't like the way panels look on your home, then you may prefer shingles. Shingles double as roofing, so they are flat against the deck. Plus, the shingles have a smooth, attractive appearance, so they don't detract from the curb appeal of your home.
Type Of Roofing
Panels can go on just about any type of residential or commercial roofing. However, the roofing has to be in good shape or the panels might need to come off to make repairs later. That means you might have to put on a new roof before you put the panels on your home. If that's the case, you may prefer the shingles so they can act as new roofing too. While shingles tend to cost more than solar panels, if you have to get a new roof too, then solar shingles might work out to be more cost-effective.
Efficiency
A benefit of solar panels is that they can be adjusted to be at the optimum slant to capture the most sunlight. Shingles, on the other hand, are attached to the roof and are always flat. Therefore, they are not as efficient at making power. The degree of efficiency often depends on the slope of the roof, so a professional should assess your roof to see if shingles or panels are the best option for your home based on roof slope and orientation toward the sun.
Portability
If you think you'll sell your home in a few years and you'll want solar power at your new home, then panels might be the best bet since you can unscrew them from your roof and take them to your new home. Once shingles are put on the roof, they are installed permanently because it wouldn't be cost-effective to take them with you and pay to replace the roof.
You may need to talk with a solar professional to understand the good and bad features of shingles and panels. Either option may be a good way to get solar power to your home, but you want to make your choice confidently.
Once you watched someone put a roof on a home, you have a much deeper understanding of what's involved in this sort of work. Roofing is not easy. There's a big mental component since the roofers need to decide how how many shingles to use, how to best lay them out, and so forth. Then, there's the physical aspect of roofing. Lugging packages of shingles onto the roof is not easy, and nailing them down take a lot of work, too. With that in mind, we welcome you to read more about roofing on this blog. Let the articles inform your opinion of the profession.