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Solar Panels on Roof

1,476 Views | 11 Replies | Last: 2 mo ago by KRamp90
BartInLA
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12:12p, 9/8/24
Conroe.

need to completely replace my 21-year-old roof. Is this generally a good investment and if so, which companies would you recommend? Tax breaks etc…
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dudeabides
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3:30p, 9/8/24
AG
Over the years there have been several threads discussing the pluses and minuses of solar panels on TexAgs. You may want to do a Google search for "solar panels Texags.com". It will yield a lot of information.
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Jason_Roofer
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6:24p, 9/8/24
I cannot tell you to do panels or not to do panels, but be aware that 'most' roofing companies will void your warranty if you poke holes in the shingles. To be honest, I have not really had any issues with leaks from panels when I do tearoffs, so maybe it's not a huge deal anyway.

What I can also tell you is that you should check to see how long the company has been in business and pick accordingly. I did 5 roofs last month with solar panels. Only two of those solar panel companies were in business, and they will void solar panel warranties if I use my solar panel tradesman to remove them. So, those customers had to use the installing company to remove and reinstall to maintain warranties. The other three had companies that had long been out of business, so I did the remove and reinstall. My guy won't warranty panels unless he installs them, but he will remove and reset them becuase, well, you have to if you need to do a roof and the panels are on top.

I'm just saying, it gets dicey when companies go out of business and new companies may not warrant any work related to them, but at the same time, you have to have them removed to do the roof, and since panels will outlast the roof in most cases, just pick your solar company carefully.
Infinity Roofing - https://linqapp.com/jason_duke --- JasonDuke@InfinityRoofer.com --- https://infinityrooferjason.blogspot.com/
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Hodor
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7:29p, 9/8/24
AG
Have you looked into a Tesla solar roof instead of panels? If you're replacing it anyway, it might be worthwhile. We briefly considered it on our house when we built a couple of years ago, but our pitch was too low for them. Since we were already framed, the thought dies there.
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TJH_16
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8:42p, 9/8/24
AG
I'd check with your homeowners insurance to see what it changes for you. A coworker went to a meeting and the insurance guy specifically asked if anyone has or wants to get solar panels because it changes a lot. They have to remove them for roof replacement, being in Conroe where hurricanes are an issue I'd be sure to check.
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RoyVal
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In reply to Hodor • 6:02a, 9/9/24
AG
Hodor said:
Have you looked into a Tesla solar roof instead of panels? If you're replacing it anyway, it might be worthwhile. We briefly considered it on our house when we built a couple of years ago, but our pitch was too low for them. Since we were already framed, the thought dies there.
I need a new roof and have been thinking about solar for a few years now.....so I've been doing a ton of research and looked into Tesla solar roof. We use a LOT of electricity in my house (30+ year old house with a 4 ton + 3.5 ton AC and we keep our house at 69-70 through most of the summer) but the solar roof made ZERO financial sense. The ROI payback was about 3x as long as just solar.
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agracer
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In reply to BartInLA • 2:43p, 9/9/24
AG
BartInLA said:
Conroe.

need to completely replace my 21-year-old roof. Is this generally a good investment and if so, which companies would you recommend? Tax breaks etc…
Search Google on payback, etc.


I found a google sheets calculator on Reddit that seemed to give you a decent idea of cost/payback. I hand checked it and the math seemed pretty close. It had installed cost, financing interest rates if you finance the solar, etc and credits for net metering. I think I threw in some $$ fo battery back up..

From what I found, my payback in KC, paying $0.08/kwH was like 20+ years. I just don't use enough electricity with only two people living in the house now. We're at work all day so AC is not running much all summer. Also, gas heating so almost no elec use from Nov-March.

My total elec bill from June 2023 thru May 2024 was $1,600.
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agracer
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In reply to RoyVal • 2:46p, 9/9/24
AG
RoyVal said:
Hodor said:
Have you looked into a Tesla solar roof instead of panels? If you're replacing it anyway, it might be worthwhile. We briefly considered it on our house when we built a couple of years ago, but our pitch was too low for them. Since we were already framed, the thought dies there.
I need a new roof and have been thinking about solar for a few years now.....so I've been doing a ton of research and looked into Tesla solar roof. We use a LOT of electricity in my house (30+ year old house with a 4 ton + 3.5 ton AC and we keep our house at 69-70 through most of the summer) but the solar roof made ZERO financial sense. The ROI payback was about 3x as long as just solar.
During the initial roll out, Tesla grossly underestimated the installed costs so early adaptors made out like bandits (as in they paid $40k and costs now are closer to $100k).
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Hodor
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In reply to agracer • 4:56p, 9/9/24
AG
agracer said:
RoyVal said:
Hodor said:
Have you looked into a Tesla solar roof instead of panels? If you're replacing it anyway, it might be worthwhile. We briefly considered it on our house when we built a couple of years ago, but our pitch was too low for them. Since we were already framed, the thought dies there.
I need a new roof and have been thinking about solar for a few years now.....so I've been doing a ton of research and looked into Tesla solar roof. We use a LOT of electricity in my house (30+ year old house with a 4 ton + 3.5 ton AC and we keep our house at 69-70 through most of the summer) but the solar roof made ZERO financial sense. The ROI payback was about 3x as long as just solar.
During the initial roll out, Tesla grossly underestimated the installed costs so early adaptors made out like bandits (as in they paid $40k and costs now are closer to $100k).


That makes sense. When we priced it during our build, the cost was about the same as a new roof and solar panels, and thus made a lot of sense.
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RoyVal
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In reply to agracer • 7:02p, 9/9/24
AG
agracer said:
RoyVal said:
Hodor said:
Have you looked into a Tesla solar roof instead of panels? If you're replacing it anyway, it might be worthwhile. We briefly considered it on our house when we built a couple of years ago, but our pitch was too low for them. Since we were already framed, the thought dies there.
I need a new roof and have been thinking about solar for a few years now.....so I've been doing a ton of research and looked into Tesla solar roof. We use a LOT of electricity in my house (30+ year old house with a 4 ton + 3.5 ton AC and we keep our house at 69-70 through most of the summer) but the solar roof made ZERO financial sense. The ROI payback was about 3x as long as just solar.
During the initial roll out, Tesla grossly underestimated the installed costs so early adaptors made out like bandits (as in they paid $40k and costs now are closer to $100k).


Wow! Guess I have bad timing!
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tgivaughn
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9:49a, 9/10/24
AG
Reporting what I've seen in clients past:
  • The rich or with heavy income do install conventional panels over shingle roofs, as I wonder if yet another toy or 1st in their social set buying bragging rights
  • Retiring from the energy biz sort, e.g. Exxon will get their roof slopes & ideal solar orientations designed/built, maybe even an invertor set up to be plugNplay someday ... all due to future concerns that power costs will skyrocket ... looking back on these very few projects 16 years later, I find only one installation AND these few conventional panels only heat the swimming pool ... shades of the 50s and those black rubber roof "waterbeds" doing similar work
  • Still waiting on the all-silicone shingles that work, avoiding the eco-unfriendly chemical filled panels that must be cleaned every year (or more!) = why many are installing on the ground and to drain leaks into a collection area
  • Our local expert for consultation might be https://www.schulteroofing.com/solar-roofing/
  • Still waiting on fuel-cells promised in the 70s
  • Food for thought: galvalume shiny metal roof, foam insulation rafters

BTW: what in heaven does this emoji represent? Not seen anywhere else but this forum.
Ten words or less ... a goal unattainable
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KRamp90
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11:13a, 9/10/24
AG
It's the puke face.
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