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I have been thinking about installing solar panels on my house - at first i thought i wanted solar shingles, but from what i read, the traditional panels are more efficient.
My question is to anyone who has had them on your house for a while.
With the panels in place over the shingles, have you noticed any whistling of the wind passing between the panel and the roof? Or has there been any kind of abnormal wear to the roof or other issues?
Years ago (24+) the original owners of my current house installed solar panels. I bought the house from them and many years later I started hearing a high pitched whistling from time to time and didn't know where it was coming from. A few weeks later a neighbor came by and told me he followed the sounds to my house, specifically my roof! I called whatever solar company was around at the time and they looked at it as apparently a valve was stuck so they did something and the noise stopped, but they said the system was pretty beat up. Soon after I had to replace my roof and just ditched the panels.
I have been thinking about installing solar panels on my house - at first i thought i wanted solar shingles, but from what i read, the traditional panels are more efficient.
My question is to anyone who has had them on your house for a while.
With the panels in place over the shingles, have you noticed any whistling of the wind passing between the panel and the roof? Or has there been any kind of abnormal wear to the roof or other issues?
I'll assume you are referring to photo-electric panels-
Very rarely is a house situated in an ideal compass direction and/or a roof pitch at the right angle. Which means that the panels would be mounted on stands to give them optimal exposure to the sun. So, with that in mind I don't think you'd had a situation where a prevailing wind would be compressed to start a whistling noise- which could be created when a panel is almost parallel with the roof.
But it could also have something to do with the frame itself- for instance, if the frame is made out of common angle-iron (the kind with a series of holes throughout it), the holes can create noise with air blowing across them. But, if it were round tubing being used the chances of it creating noise is greatly reduced.
We are looking into solar panels. A local place is having a free evaluation this month so we are taking advantage of it. We were told that they can't put panels over slate (don't know why). Much of our roof is slate but we do have some parts of the roof that is not. They are going to come out next week to see if it would be beneficial to us to install panels. I really hope so. That is something that I have wanted for a long time. We couldn't in our other house because we were surrounded by buildings.
"Free" evaluations are worth what you pay for them.
With a few hours of research, you can perform you own evaluation and then not get taken to the cleaners and be back here wondering what happened later on.
Take the time, its just a few hours and then you'll be informed instead of manipulated.
Solar isn't some dark room secret, it is rather simple and so is determining how much you need, if your roof is suitable and what all the options in the installation entail as well as costs.
"Free" evaluations are worth what you pay for them.
With a few hours of research, you can perform you own evaluation and then not get taken to the cleaners and be back here wondering what happened later on.
Take the time, its just a few hours and then you'll be informed instead of manipulated.
Solar isn't some dark room secret, it is rather simple and so is determining how much you need, if your roof is suitable and what all the options in the installation entail as well as costs.
We know. We want to see what these people say. Whether we go with this company or not we haven't decided yet. I look at reviews of the company, prices, etc. I take everything into consideration before making a decision. Most of the time it pays off but sometimes reviews are deceiving-which we have learned the hard way.
biktoptrvl,
I don't have personal experience with solar panels (wish I did), but I know of some threads on city-data.com that I think anyone who is considering them should read. Hope you don't mind that I've listed them for you.
RDUBiker has posted a thread with the lengthy but descriptive title of: Raleigh Residential Solar Photovoltaic (PV) decision, details, numbers, and pictures (HOA, insurance). city-data.com is blocking my link to his tread because it has embedded images, but I hope you will search for it. It's a detailed saga of his installation of solar panels. I loved reading it because it is so well done and provides a wealth of information. I know if I were considering solar panels I’d take a serious look at it.
Two other threads that I would want to read before contracting for solar panels are:
I’m not suggesting these two threads to scare you away from solar panels (I’m a big supporter of them), but because I think they provide some things for you to consider when selecting an installer and in setting the terms of your contract with him. In particular, if you are entering a contract where you are leasing the solar panels, then examine the contract terms that have to do with terminating the contract, removing the solar panels at your or the installer’s initiative, and transferring (or not) the contract to a buyer of your property.
The OP for these two threads was the buyer of a house with leased solar panels that he wants removed and he’s now in a complex situation that might have been avoided if the seller had thought ahead before he had the solar panels installed. While you may never intend to sell your house, you may want to consider how the solar panels can impact your property value. I would have assumed that all buyers would want the panels, but apparently not.
Solar power is becoming increasing popular. I am a strong advocate for installing, not leasing. Last night was at pub with business friends. One of my colleagues was bragging he just signed out with a solar program that would save him 30% off his $240 monthly electric bill. This started up a conversation within minutes 6 other guys came over wanting to join in on the conversation.
Why would a person want to obligate themselves on something you will never own? Leasing solar panels does not make economically sense compered to buying. Having a reduced adjustable electric bill, plus having a 20 year (second) payment for the lease. The benefactor is the solar energy company or leasing company.
Two years ago had solar panels installed, already made back my return on the investment. My two best likes are;
Just had the guy come out to look to see if our house would benefit from solar panels. He informed us that it won't. He did say that in about a year or so, his company is going to be building a solar farm where people who can't have solar at their house, can use the farm. We told him to put our names down for that. This way, we can use solar power even though the panels are not on our house.
Cat
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