Why a Flush-Mounted Solar Panel Installation Is Best

As you begin to envision a solar panel system installed on your roof, you may have feelings about how it should look. Some clients even express concern about panels being flush-mounting on sloped roofs.

It turns out that flush mounts on sloped roofs are the best possible mount choice, and here's why.

Affordability

Flush mounts are more simple in design compared to compound tilt mounts and are therefore cheaper, per mounted panel, than any other choice.

Yes, you would harvest additional solar energy by angling your entire array towards the exact best angle for the sun. However, in doing so, you'd spend more money than you would gain back from having that slightly better angle. 

Red Tape

Your local building and permitting department will have far stricter guidelines with regard to compound mounts than they do flush mounts. Because your compound tilt mount can be angled in so many ways, the building department has to be assured that your configuration is going to withstand the forces that mother nature throws at them. 

Engineering

As briefly mentioned, a solar panel flush mount is a simple piece of hardware. That's why building inspectors approve plans including them more easily, and that faster approval process gets your panels up faster and saves you money.

Updraft and downdraft forces apply considerable pressure against your mounts and because of the increased drag of a steeply angled panel, a compound tilt mount has to be built to withstand this additional force. That extra engineering comes at an extra cost. Thus, another point favoring flush-mounted panels. 

Aesthetics

It's commonly accepted among the public that solar panels look best when they nicely hug the roofline. That means that for shallow-sloped roofs, your flush-mounted panels may not be pointed directly at the best angle for maximum sun.

For home resale value and other influencing factors such as HOAs, flush mounts are a more desirable look. Some consider the look of a solar system mounted on compound tilt mounts to be rather obtrusive and frankly, ugly. We like pretty solar installations, don't you?

Conclusion

It's your home and you are the one making this positive choice to equip your home with solar. While it'd be nice to always get peak production, there are other factors at hand. Our team at Solar 4 Planet A believes strongly in the power that solar has to save our planet and make our world a better place. Reach out today to start a conversation about adding a solar roof to your home.