Do Solar Panels Heat Up the Roof?

Solar panels are a great solution to steadily increasing utility bills, and can be installed on virtually any type of roof. In today’s post, Barth Roofing Company, Inc. addresses one of the questions we often get asked as a solar roof company — do solar roof panels heat up the roof?

How Do Solar Panels Work?

Let us first explain how solar panels work. A standard solar system features solar arrays that consist of multiple solar panels. Each panel consists of numerous photovoltaic (PV) cells. Each cell produces up to 2 watts of power, so to produce a significant amount of energy, PV cells are chained together in each panel, and multiple panels form an array.

To gather energy, solar arrays are installed at a certain angle and direction on the roof. This helps ensure maximum exposure to sunlight during the day. The energy collected by the solar panels is converted by an inverter unit from DC (direct current) to AC (alternating current). The inverter is wired between your house’s main line and the incoming line from the grid. A typical inverter switches from solar to grid energy when the sun is out, however, an optional battery can be installed for additional energy storage.

Do Solar Panels Heat the Roof?

With all the energy collected by solar panels, it’s not surprising that some people would think they heat up the roofing surface, perhaps even cause damage that may require extensive roof repair. Fortunately, having solar panels has the exact opposite effect: they actually help cool down your roof.

Solar heat, like UV radiation and visible light, is a form of light. This means anything opaque will block sunlight from hitting the rooftop, thereby preventing heat from being absorbed by the roof. Researchers have found that solar panels can lower a roof’s overall temperature by about 5 degrees. In addition to helping reduce your home’s indoor cooling requirements during the day, they helps reduce the residual radiant heat on the roof and lower your home’s energy usage at night after switching to grid energy.

Barth Roofing Company, Inc. is the leading solar and roofing contractor serving the communities in Northern California. Give us a call at (209) 833-9917 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment.