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What Are Solar Shingles?

20 April 2015 by Kyle Brown

If you are looking into getting solar energy for your home, you can either choose between solar shingles or solar panels. Many people are choosing to have solar shingles installed, which are small solar panels that resemble traditional asphalt roofing tiles. They let you have solar energy without the large, bulky panels. The shingles are strung together on your roof similar to traditional roofing tiles, but you get the benefit of eco-friendly solar power. Here is more information about solar shingles.

Requirements for Getting Solar Shingles

The first thing you should know is that there are some requirements involved in getting solar shingles. You need to have an angled roof that allows you to get a decent amount of sunlight, which is where you get the power from. If you don't have an angled roof, you might be better off with larger solar panels, which provide more angled control. You also need to check your current roofing substrate and make sure it is okay getting hot to prove your home solar energy. Additionally, have a roofing contractor check the air circulation as well.

Benefits

It helps to know the benefits and drawbacks of solar shingles before deciding this is the way to go. There are many advantages to using solar shingles as opposed to solar panels, and in using solar energy in general. First of all, the aesthetic design is a major benefit. Solar panels are large and bulky, and tend to take away from the architectural design of your home. With solar shingles, they are made to look like roofing tiles, and most people won't know they are solar shingles. This can also reduce how much additional installation work is needed when placing the tiles.

There are many different types of solar shingles to choose from, including thin solar film shingles, semi-rigid silicon, and solid shingle panels. The installation process is easy with shingles, as compared to solar panel installation. You may also be able to combine them with other traditional roofing options. The solar shingles can also handle extreme weather conditions, including high winds.

Drawbacks

Before running out to purchase solar shingles, make sure you are also aware of the drawbacks. First of all, it can be difficult having a roofing angle that gets the most sun. This severely limits your ability to get solar energy with the shingles. You also need to install the shingles when you are performing a new roof installation. While installation is simpler than with solar panels in some respects, it is much easier to do if you are currently installing a new roof (through professionals, such as those from Welty Custom Exteriors, Inc), as opposed to upgrading an existing one. You may also find the high cost of these shingles to be a disadvantage.

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