Can You Attach Solar Panels to a Metal Roof?

Metal roofing is an eco-friendly roofing material with a long service life, so it is unsurprising that many building owners who select a metal roof are also interested in the energy saving benefits of solar panels. The good news is that solar panels are easy to install on metal roofing.

Mounting System versus Direct Attachment

If you are familiar with how solar panels are installed on shingles roofs, you might be concerned about attaching them to a metal roof. Typically, solar panels are affixed directly to shingled roofs by drilling holes through the roof. However, this is not how solar panels are attached to standing seam metal roofing.

If your metal roof is a standing seam metal roofing system clamps can be affixed to the seams of the roof without penetrating the roof. A clamp mounting system eliminates potential problem, such as leaking, from penetrating the roof.

We used three different S-5!® clamps to mount the solar panels on our own manufacturing facility in Peachtree City, GA. We actually replaced our existing metal roof on that particular facility before we installed our solar panels, but typically you won’t have to worry about replacing the roof under your solar panels because metal roofing offers such a long service life. We only replaced our existing roof because it was already 34 years old. You can read more about our re-roofing project and solar installation here.

Compatibility

Solar and metal roofing are perfectly suited because both products have long life spans. Solar panels are also easy to install on metal roofing, and both are environmentally friendly building solutions.

Solar panels typically come with a warranty somewhere around 20 to 25 years. With such a long service life solar panels can very easily outlast conventional roof systems, such as shingles. Metal roofing, on the other hand, can last 50 years or more which means there should be no need to ever replace the roof system.

Metal roofing is also an energy efficient building material that can lower utility costs. When paired together, metal roofing and solar panels are a great way to improve the energy efficiency of your building.

Learn More

Thinking about attaching solar panels to your metal roof? Check out this article from our partner S-5! for some of their cost saving best practices.

You can also learn more about the roofing options available to you and how a metal roof can help you reduce costs in our eBook Need a New Roof? How Building Owners Reduce Cost with a Metal Roof. Follow the link below to download your copy.