Solar Panels on Metal Buildings
As the solar panel costs continues to drop, and the technology behind the solar energy devices advances, people are more often preferring to use them on pre-engineered steel buildings
There are various valid reasons why it is a good idea to put solar panels on top of the roof;
• Saving money on your electricity bill or offsetting your energy costs by selling electricity to the grid
• Taking advantage of an underutilized energy resource
• Helping tackling global warming by reducing the dependence on fossil fuels
• Promote your company as a technology leader
Silicon solar cells are easily broken and have fragile wiring connecting them, so they need solid support such as that provided by an aluminium and glass encasement. On most traditional roof systems, that requires a racking system anchored to the roof by drilling into the roof’s surface.
Any roof penetration is, in the long run, a potential leak; and wind action on the panel can pull on the fasteners, which may widen the roof-holes over time. Mounting to a metal roof is a better option.
Depending on the type of the roofing type of a metal building, solar panels have different connection apparatus. But none of the mounting parts require a hole on the roof panel thus providing a safe and long standing connection between the solar panel and roof panel.
Solar panels are extremely durable and can last for 25 to 30 years, which is part of what makes them such a great investment for your building.
However, in many cases, this means that your solar panels can outlive your roof, which can result in an added expense. If your roof is aging, you have to replace it before installing solar panels, or incur the additional cost of removing and re-installing your panels when the time comes to replace your roof.
Metal roofs, on the other hand, are the most durable conventional roofing material available. If you have a metal roof on your building, it will likely last longer than the lifespan of your solar panels, which reduces expense and hassle in the long term.
Conclusion
Our goal at Tekmetsan is to give you the easiest building solutions without compromising quality. We take the additional solar panel loads on the roof into consideration in the steel design process which may sometimes increase the cost of the metal frame slightly.
Contact us to learn more about the features of our metal building systems adaptable for solar panel installation.
