Is It Ok To Lay Solar Panels Flat On Roof

Solar panels installed horizontally on a roof at the st george hotel in st george qld.

Is it ok to lay solar panels flat on roof.

This allows solar panels mounted on flat roofs to be tilted upwards enough to ensure they capture as much sunlight as possible. The frames and clamps used are designed to match the roof profile and provide a water tight seal. Flat roof solar systems are most commonly found on commercial buildings where the roof is typically made to be flat. This can be done in different ways.

This also helps to keep the array clean as rainfall will remove surface dirt that could reduce panel efficiency. Solar panel installers are presented with a number of challenges when designing and installing flat roof solar panels. If you look around you will find companies which will maintain your solar panel system for a yearly fixed fee somewhere in the region of 100 to 200. The most effective way to clean your solar panels is with a hose and a bucket of soapy water.

On a flat roof an upgrade a few years into the solar system installation won t actually be too disruptive. Regardless of the type of installation flat roof solar panels can still get optimal energy performance. The last thing a solar panel company wants to hear after installing them on a roof is some bad news about a customer falling off the roof trying to carry out some routine maintenance on them. Check with your solar installers and providers to determine if there is any information about solar panel cleaning recommendations and dos or don ts when it comes to cleaning your system.

Usually rain alone is enough to keep solar panels clean on a typical sloped roof because rainwater will flow off them carrying away dirt. Skip to 12 15 to hear rex and patrick discuss the main solar solutions for different kinds of flat roofing. One way is by adjusting the solar arrays to optimum tilt angles and to optimum direction where the modules will face on the roof. In the past panel manufacturers would not offer warranties on panels installed at an angle lower than 2 degrees but these days most of the top manufacturers will give warranties even if their panels are installed at 0 degrees completely flat.

How do solar panel systems work on a flat roof. It is actually perfectly possible to install solar panels on a flat roof and this page takes you through how it can be done. On a flat roof the solar panels are typically installed on free standing frames that can optimize array performance by providing the ideal tilt and directional orientation. Before installing solar it is important to make sure that the roof is in a good condition.

The easiest way to install solar panels on a flat roof may appear to be to lay them flat out like a lizard drinking but this can result in your lizard getting very dirty indeed.