A tile roof is a great way to beautify the look of your home. These roofs can also protect your home from fire and extreme weather. The installation costs might be high, but this style of roof can last from 50 to 75 years. Tile roofs will reduce your waste, and it can help make your home more energy-efficient. With the addition of solar panels, you can reduce some of those home energy bills.
The Benefits of Solar Panels
A tile roof is already an energy-efficient way to cut down on your bills. Due to the individual tiles, it is a better energy saver than shingles. Each tile has a little space to allow for increased ventilation. Along with that, the tiles can create a thermal barrier to keep heat in your home. Those small spaces will make your home’s heating and cooling systems more efficient. In turn, your utility bills will be cheaper each month.
If you are looking to boost those energy savings, you might want to think about adding solar panels to your tile roof. You will have to pay for the initial cost of the materials and installation. However, you can eliminate energy bills with the addition of solar panels. Based on your energy consumption, home size, and climate, you could see significant savings.
Solar panels will help save on your monthly bills, and they can also help to increase the value of your home. In some cases, your solar panels might create so much energy that local companies will purchase power from you. You can make money and reduce your carbon footprint with the installation of solar panels.
Can You Install Solar Panels on a Tile Roof?
There are some challenges to installing solar panels on a tile roof. With asphalt shingles, the installation team will drill into the roof and attach mounting brackets to the studs. The area would be sealed to prevent leakage in your roof.
You can’t do that with a tile roof. By drilling directly into the tile, you could damage it, and that could be costly with antique or specialty tiles. Any type of drilling increases the risk of cracking the tile. With a pretty pricey project, damaged tiles can lead to higher installation costs for your solar panels. For most tile roofs, the installer will need to remove the individual tiles and drill the panels into your roof. Once that is completed, the mounting brackets are attached to the stud, and the area is sealed.
In some ways, the installation is just like any other type of roof. The tiles will need to be secured with a tile replacement mount. These mounts will give you better protection against roof leaks as they continue to protect the look of your tiles.
Should You Install These Solar Panels By Yourself?
You can tackle this project by yourself, but do you want to risk it? There is a potential for costly and severe damage. A tile roof is durable, but it can be damaged with added weight. If you walk on the roof, you can crack a few tiles. The vibration from a drill bit can also break the tile and lead to expensive repairs. In addition to that, you need to know how to install solar panels on this type of roof.
Are There Other Solar Power Options?
If you don’t want to risk damaging tiles on your roof, you might want to think about ground-mounted panels. These panels also collect energy from the sun, but they have drawbacks too. For example, these panels do take up a lot of ground space. If you install them on your property, you will lose valuable backyard space for a patio or pool. Some homeowner associations have restrictions about the placement of the panels. Finally, these panels are expensive to install. The labor costs to stabilize the panels and wire them can take a big chunk out of your project budget. With higher costs, you could not see a return on your investment for a long time.
With a tile roof, you are already saving on some energy-related costs. If you are looking for additional benefits and reduce your carbon footprint, then you might want to install some solar panels on your roof. It can be tricky to install these panels by yourself. You need the help of a professional installer. With a professional team, you can be sure that your tiles are correctly installed so that you can reap the benefits of these energy-saving home improvements.
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