Guest post by Mike Gonet, Senior Partner at Classic Metal Roofs.
New England Clean Energy and Classic Metal Roofs have collaborated on many successful metal roof/solar projects.
If you are considering having a solar electric system added to your roof, why install it on a roof that won’t last as long as the solar when you could choose a solution with much greater durability? I’m talking about a metal roof solar panels.
A New England Clean Energy/Classic Metal Roof job in Fitchburg
In New England, asphalt shingle roofs last about 15 years on average. This is usually the time we get a call from a disgruntled homeowner saying they purchased a 30- or 40-year shingle and it’s failed. They add, “It must have been a bad batch of shingles.” Sure it was.
Asphalt roofs were introduced at the turn of the century (about 1901) as an alternative to more expensive slate and wood roofs. The manufacturers designed the shingles to look like the roof they were attempting to replace. It was a much cheaper roof that the average homeowner could afford.
The installation was also much easier. It did not require the skill necessary to install a slate or cedar shake roof. One would have to agree that the asphalt shingle companies were successful in their marketing efforts; but that is changing.
The Metal Roof Solar Panels Trend
Crew Lead Mike installing solar on a metal shingle roof
Homeowners increasingly opt for longer-lasting aluminum metal roofs over traditional asphalt shingles:
- Metal roofing for the residential market has doubled in the last four years with a market share approaching 16% nationally. That’s up from about 2-3% in 1999.
- Metal roofs are the fastest growing segment for residential replacement roofs in the country.
- More and more builders and architects are specifying standing seam metal roofs and shingle metal roofs in new home construction.
Metal Roof Benefits
Our aluminum metal roofs are popular because they provide economic, aesthetic and environmental benefits:
- They last close to a century or more when properly installed.
- They are available in several profiles, including metal shingles in slate or shake styles, or standing seam with plenty of color choices.
- They reflect the heat of the sun, keeping your home significantly cooler in the summer.
- They are made from nearly 100% recycled material, making metal the most sustainable roofing product available today. They also reduce the dumping of asphalt shingles into landfills.
Your solar energy system will capture clean energy from the sun for decades. Most likely, it will outlive an asphalt single roof. So put your solar on an aluminum metal roof that will last a lifetime while looking great and helping the planet.
If you liked this article, you might also enjoy:
- How to Build a Solar-Friendly Home
- What’s in a Solar Production Estimate?
- Tree Math 2: Solar vs. Trees, What’s the Carbon Trade-off?
