• Does it get a sufficient amount of direct sunlight (not overly obstructed by shade)?
• What is the orientation of the roof (technically “Azimuth,” which means North, South, East, and West)?
• Roof condition, shape, and size

The sunlight has to make it to the solar panels in order for them to work. If the roof of your house gets a lot of direct sunlight during the day, then it may be an ideal candidate for solar. Having a shaded or obstructed roof, however, doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t go solar, as there are several ways to overcome the challenges of shade.

• Power Optimizers or Micro-Inverters can improve a system’s performance, allowing each panel to work independently, ensuring that each panel produces as much electricity as it can when it receives sunlight. When one panel is shaded, its output goes down, but the rest of the system is unaffected. This is particularly effective to overcome the impact of tall trees in a nearby neighbor’s yard.
• If trees on your own property hinder the sunlight from reaching your rooftop, our Tree Trimming & Tree Removal services are here to help.

For solar energy systems to be the most efficient, it’s ideal for solar panels to face south. East and west-facing roofs may not get as much direct sunlight as those that face south, but quite often, it’s still plenty to produce all the electricity your home will need. A home with panels that face east or west can often get up to 80% of the efficiency that a house with south-facing panels would, so even if it’s not a “perfect” alignment, a few additional panels may be all that’s needed to achieve the results you want, and the savings would still be quite substantial.

Once installed, a solar system can function efficiently for over 25 years, so you’ll want your roof to be in good shape before you have solar installed. If your roof is in poor condition or is getting old, it may be necessary to replace your roof before adding solar panels. If that is your situation, you may be in luck! If you include the roof replacement as part of the solar project, the savings can help offset the cost; it’s like getting a new roof with solar!

Roof shapes vary considerably with different house styles. The ideal roof shape for solar is a simple rectangle-shaped “gable” roof, wherein many panels as needed can be installed without any concerns about space. Solar can also work fine with other roof shapes, even those with many dormers or valleys; it’s just a little more challenging to configure or fit the proper number of solar panels on the roof to meet the energy needs of the home.

At Suncovia, we pride ourselves on making the most of every opportunity we can for our customers. We often deliver in situations where other companies couldn’t.