Some of the most frequent questions are around the weight and loads that solar panels put on a roof. This blog covers a few examples of what loads can be found under different climates.
Contrary to many beliefs solar panels are actually very lightweight.
Can My Roof Support Solar Panels?
On average solar panels weigh about 23 pounds and are distributed evenly across a roof. The combined weight of a solar panel and the rack only puts 2-3 pounds of weight per square foot on a roof. Most modern roofs are built to support much more weight than that. There are some cases where a roof has been weakened by water damage and other similar problems. This is no reason to worry being that before every solar panel installation a solar contractor evaluates the roof’s structure to make sure that it can hold the solar panels. With some damaged roofs, structural work must be done before installing the panels.
Upward Force?
In fact the biggest issue when dealing with solar panels is not weight, but rather the uplift. The uplift is an upward force from wind going up and under panels. With enough upward force solar panels can be dislodged from the roof or even worse, your roof can be pulled off along with the solar panels. These are rare circumstances which do not occur frequently. To prevent any damages the panel must be bolted down into the center of the rafters and not just on the shell of the roof. The good part is that solar contractors are trained to install everything properly and keep their customers safety as their number one priority.
Unirac, a solar racking company, has a calculator for standard systems which were used to find the total uplift from wind and down force from snow. Here in Connecticut Connecticut Miami Syracuse
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more and more commercial installations are including a reliable deflection monitoring system is integrated into the system plans
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ReplyDeleteAdmittedly, I was of the people who thought solar panels were heavy, like metal sheets for sidings. When properly laid, I think there is little chance they can cause any roofing problems. In my opinion, installing solar panels on roofs can effectively save electricity, as it is a source of natural energy which can power our appliances at home.
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So you are wrong.
ReplyDeletehey thanks for shedding light on such important aspect of solar panel weight. its really an important issue.especially in winters and snow. will be looking up for more reviews.
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My brother, who is an environmentalist, had solar panels installed on his roof. I thought it was ridiculous at first. But apparently, I was wrong. The solar panels haven’t caused any tearing or ripping on the roof – it was like a slap on my face! It literally serves as a second protection to it, and it saves ‘mega’ kilowatts per hour from the utility bill.
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I suggest that homes that are planning to have solar panels installed should have their roof inspected first to be sure that it can support the solar panels. That way it would avoid any problems later on.
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ReplyDeleteI work as a structural engineer and to say that a roof is built to sustain much higher loads than are actually there is false. roof structures, especially residential trusses, are designed to carry the design loading with very little wasted capacity. That being said, safety factors are applied in the calculation of the design load values. So, while solar panels will most likely not cause a roof failure, they could push the roof design outside of current code requirements.
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I live in a modular home park they seem to think the panels are too heavy for the homes , Thats a lie. I own my house and they still shy away from the idea of solar panels. I think they make money on the power they sell us every month.
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Most times when the roofs are constructed by truss's instead of conventional framing it is almost impossible to reinforce the truss especially if the trusses i have seen have an to much deflection in the center span of the roof because of a poor design from the manufacturer. I strongly encourage any potential buyer to have their truss's checked for existing deflection, specially if you are n a high snow area. I would get checked in any event.
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