Roof Requirements For Solar Panels

With a solid wiring electrical plan in place the next step is mounting your solar panels.

Roof requirements for solar panels.

The ideal roof for solar faces south at 180 degrees true orientation or 195 degrees if using a magnetic compass to maximize the amount of sunlight that your panels receive. Repair any problems or install a whole new roof if necessary. Whether you decide to roof mount or ground mount your array the following sections will outline everything you need to build a solid mounting foundation. Usually each solar panel takes about 18 square feet.

However roofs that are slanted east or west can still be good candidates if they meet the other requirements. If you decide to roof mount your solar panels there are 5 main steps to take. The international fire code 605 11 3 2 4 that states panels modules installed shall be located no higher than 3 ft below the ridge to allow for fire department ventilation operations significantly decreases the attractiveness of residential solar pv because it applies to both sides of a peaked roof. Does your roof have enough space where the solar panels will be placed.

Most solar panels are designed to work for 20 to 25 years and the roof will need to last that long as well see references 2. An average size for a good space of the roof would be 400 600 square feet. The existing roof must be verified to either meet the current prescriptive roof design requirements in chapter 8 or be.