Can you put solar panels on a shake roof is a question that we get asked a lot and it can be hard to answer.
Solar panels can be installed on just about any roof, as long as the roof is stable enough and can support the weight of the solar panels, but installing solar panels on a shake roof can create some challenges.
In this article, we will go through whether you can put solar panels on a shake roof or not.
So without further ado, let’s get to it.
Can You Install Solar Panels On A Shake Roof?
The answer is that it depends on whether your home or business has a standard composition shingle roof or if it’s made of shakes.
Generally, solar panels can be installed on any type of roof that can support its weight.
If you have standard composition shingles, it can be a good idea to install solar panels on your roof.
However, in the case of shake roofs, the roof won’t be able to support such heavy weights and it won’t take long until your roof starts to sag and that can put a lot of stress on its structure.
Another reason why you can’t install solar panels on wooden shakes is because of fire safety.
Although solar panels don’t cause any fires when installed correctly, life happens and even if there is a very low chance of your solar panels catching fire, this can burn down your whole home because your cedar roof will spread the fire and make it harder to be contained.
How To Install Solar If I Have A Shake Roof?
Don’t worry you can still install solar panels if you have a shake roof. However, they can’t be installed on the roof itself.
Instead, you can opt for a ground-mounted solar system.
Ground solar systems are just as efficient as roof-mounted systems and will provide all of the benefits as if they were installed directly on your roof while maintaining its fire safety.
The only downside is that ground-mounted solar systems do need a lot of free space.
Your second option is reroofing with another material.
Although this can be quite expensive, you should keep in mind that you will be able to obtain 30% of the cost as a tax credit.
Last Words
So in short, can you put solar panels on a shake roof?
In most cases, the answer is no.
This can be because of safety reasons or simply because your shakes can’t support its weight.
However, you can still install solar panels if it’s not installed directly on top of them and instead go for a ground-mounted system.
You can also opt for reroofing your home or business with another material that can support the weight of solar panels.
Although this can be quite expensive, it will provide great benefits for you and your wallet in the long run.
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