Roof-installed solar panels remain the most popular kind of residential solar panel installation. Because of this, plenty of homeowners has specifically designed their houses to accommodate their solar projects, such as getting solar shingles.

While there’s long been a debate about the effectiveness of solar shingles or solar panels, it’s essential to know a thing or two about it. This way, you can decide if you’d rather have solar shingles over solar panels.

What are solar shingles?

Solar shingles or photovoltaic shingles are technically solar panels designed to look like shingles or your typical roofing materials. These solar panels absorb heat energy and convert it to usable electricity while providing roofing for your home. They are mostly made of building-integrated photovoltaics or BIPV.

Solar shingles are specifically designed to address the common problem among homeowners who want to have their residential solar system–roof compatibility. Not all roofing materials are compatible with solar panels, but you can have the best of both worlds with solar shingles.

Should I use solar shingles over solar panels? 

Solar shingles or solar panels? This question boils down to preference.

Solar shingles have loads of benefits. First, they can complement your house’s overall design. Next, you can save on installation expenses since you no longer have to install metal frames for your solar panels.

And since solar shingles are installed directly on your roof, they have higher resistance to snow, hail, and wind during bad weather.

However, you can’t add more solar shingles if you need more solar panels for higher electricity production. Your roof’s size is the limit to your electricity production. 

Aside from this, you should ensure that your roof is facing in an optimal direction towards the sun. Unlike solar panels, which are separately installed on your top, you cannot adjust the angle of solar shingles. 

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