An increasing number of home and property owners have decided to invest in solar panels, and they can readily agree that their investment is paying off – and will continue to pay off in the long term. Whilst solar panel installations were quite a significant investment in the past, their cost has gone down quite a bit in recent days – and more people are taking advantage. Everyone knows that solar energy is an endlessly renewable resource, so if you invest in your system, you will be able to make use of it for years to come. But whilst there are traditional solar panel installations you can take advantage of, there is another kind of solar panel system that is making waves. Integrated solar panels cost have become the preferred system of many, but if you are interested in it yourself, here’s your detailed guide to integrated solar panels and their real advantages.
The general facts
In-roof solar panels, or integrated solar panels as they are commonly called, are not the same as your standard panels because they are not placed over your roof system – instead, they will form part of your roof itself. A portion of your tile or slate roofing will have to be replaced by the in-roof solar panels. The great aspect about integrated solar panels is that they can be your actual solar panel roof, and they are made to be weatherproof and as durable as roof slates or tiles – but with the addition of photovoltaic cells.
Their real advantages
- Aesthetic appeal
This may not be their prime advantage, but it’s a real advantage nonetheless. Most of us think of solar panels as bulky or awkward-looking, and we are hesitant to have them installed for fear that they will detract from our property or building’s façade. But even if some of the recently released models are thinner and sleeker, integrated solar panels are a step above. You can have them serve as part of the structure of your roof, and as a result, they will sit evenly with the existing tiles or slates so they can more easily blend in. In other words, they are more aesthetically appealing. They won’t look like an ‘add-on’ at the last minute but will instead look like a natural part of your structure.
- A lighter weight
When you have solar panels installed on top of the tiles or slates of your roof, this will undoubtedly add to the roof’s weight, and it could lead to several issues in time. But if you opt for integrated or in-roof solar panels, the installation doesn’t require any mounting frames, which results in a lighter weight. In addition, only a portion of your roof’s existing slates or tiles will be removed, and the installer will replace it with the integrated panels, so your roof doesn’t have to deal with extra weight.
- Planning permission is not often required
Installing a solar panel system on your roof is already a major undertaking – but it becomes even more complex if you have to ask for planning permission, which you are more likely to do if you opt for a standard installation. But since integrated solar panels will not sit on top of the roof and are flat, planning permission may not often be required. You can even have them in almost the same colour theme as your roof, making them an even more logical choice for historical, delicate structures.
