Updated almost 9 years ago on .
Addressing Concerns Regarding Solar Panels and Roof Maintenance
If you live in an area that experiences Winter, you might think you have an additional objection to raise against the installation of solar panels on your home's roof. There are many misconceptions regarding solar panels and their impact on homeowners' roofs, including the weight they impose on the roof, their functionality in the winter, and a combination of both: a roof's ability to withstand both solar panels and the various weather conditions.
Traditional solar photo-voltaic panels only weigh about 40 lbs., which is roughly the size of the average toddler. Solar panels are not installed on roofs with structural deficiencies that would compromise the health of the roof if extra weight was to be added. Any roof that qualifies for solar photo-voltaic installation and operation following inspection would not experience any damage as a result of the solar panels.
If the roof is incidentally damaged within 1 year of the installation of solar panels and the homeowner is not at fault, the solar finance company is contracted by warranty to repair any damage inflicted upon the roof. If any damage occurs to the solar panels at any period of the contract's term, including theft, and it is deemed that the homeowner didn't intentionally inflict such damage, the solar financing company is also contracted by the PPA agreement to repair or replace the damaged or stolen panels.
In the wintertime, you would think solar panels would become even heavier having to bear an added layer of snow and ice. However, the panels' operative temperature prevents snow and ice from accumulating on their surface. This keeps the solar panels accessible to sunlight and allows solar panels to continue generating power even in the darker, wintry months. It also means that solar panels will not become heavier in such months and your roof will not experience additional weathering because of the panels. In fact, the panels' coverage of the roof can reduce or even eliminate accumulation of snow and ice.
New data from 2016 shows that solar energy reached a price intersection with wind, natural gas and coal and surpassed them all, and also now offers the same Energy Return On Energy Invested as oil. Don't let a few myths such as roof damage deter you from joining the energy revolution!
-- Graham Brunell