For many northern Wisconsin homeowners, solar panels offer opportunities to save money and make your own power.
Roof Mounted Solar Panels
Roof-mounted solar panels are an excellent way to generate free power by taking advantage of space you aren’t using- the top of your home. Your roof is perfect for solar power generation: wide, smooth, and directly exposed to sunlight. However, roofing materials aren’t all created equally when working with solar. So how can you know which type of roofing works best?
Here are 2 great options for making your own power with our metal roofing systems:
- Mounted solar panels- traditional photovoltaic panels mounted on top of metal shingles using stainless steel brackets
- Integrated solar panels- dual-function photovoltaic panels working as shingles strategically added in the place of some metal shingles.
Mounted panels are the better option right now, but integrated solar roofing panels show a lot of promise for the future.
Mounted solar panels work best with our metal shingle roofs for several reasons: most importantly durability and long-life. A solar panel has a functional life of around 20 years, much shorter than our metal roofing shingles, but longer than asphalt shingle roofing. When it’s time to replace the panels on one of our metal shingle roofs, the roof remains intact with no need for shingle replacement.
Mounting and clamping panels to the rib of standing seam roofing damages the seam, leaving a potential weak point. Even worse, removing solar panels with standing seam roofing means replacing the entire slope underneath the panel. This is why we recommend using our metal shingles instead of a standing seam roof for solar applications.
Choosing a metal shingle roof goes beyond just providing an excellent base for solar power generation. A high-quality metal roof from American Metal Roofs of WI is:
Durable
Our metal roofing lasts decades longer than asphalt shingles, meaning no more painful re-roofing jobs. A permanent roof makes solar panel replacement and maintenance much easier. Standing up to the environment provides a strong foundation for solar panels, keeping your investment protected from harsh weather, high winds, hail, and fire.
Energy-efficient
Generating solar power drastically reduces your need for standard electric power and high-quality metal roofing goes even further, cutting energy costs by up to 20%. A metal roof also addresses all 3 forms of heat transfer to keep your home cooler and maximize energy efficiency. Radiant heat from the sun reflects off the specialized coating found on every Classic Metal Roof we supply, conductive heat dissipates between the roof and attic, and convective heat flows out through the ventilation.
Beautiful
Our metal roofing shingles are available in a variety of styles and colors. They can resemble wooden shake, tile, or slate. This beauty is enhanced by proper installation, something our talented roofing crews provide to many happy customers. Your neighbors will be jealous of your brand-new, striking American Metal Roof.
If you are considering solar power generation for your roof now or later, we can help. Designed to work hand-in-hand with solar panels for a lasting solution, you can choose to have your roof installed “solar-ready”, leaving room for solar panels installed at a later date, all while enjoying the many benefits of your new roof.
Our Roofing and Solar: A Great Match
For more information on our metal roofing matched with solar panels, call or send us an email. We’re happy to share information and help you prepare for turning your roof into a power generation station. Take a look up at your roof and imagine the possibilities of solar power.