Looking to go solar and offset your energy bills? We’ve got great news! You don’t have to install bulky, rack-mounted solar panels to get the job done.
What are solar shingles, and why are they becoming so popular? Solar shingles are a state-of-the-art renewable energy source to fuel your home or business. Since its debut in 2022, Timberline Solar Shingles have given consumers a choice in which solar-powered solution they would like to install on their roofs.
Which is best for your long-term needs? Read on to discover more about these advanced solutions for homeowners looking for sustainable ways to power their homes.
Why Are Homeowners Choosing Solar Shingles over Solar Panels?
Industry leader, GAF, developed a solution to the need for solar power from something that functions like a shingle. And it’s working! In fact, this award-winning advancement in solar technology provides an attractive, clean energy option for your home. Solar shingles collect energy from the sun while delivering a pleasing look to your home’s roof.
These remarkable shingles are making their way into America’s homes and businesses, providing efficient, clean energy. Durable solar shingles are reliable and long-lasting. They are a roofing product that marries roofing with solar.
The future of roofing is now, and GAF allows each of us to help our earth right from home. The alternative energy source they engineered helps minimize fossil fuel dependence and reduces a home’s overall carbon footprint.
Here are some basics about solar shingles that will help you see why people choose them over solar panels.
The trouble with solar panels
Solar panels do what they were designed to do, but they lack aesthetics. Most homeowners care about the appearance of their homes. Enter solar shingles. This shingle-shaped solution to the curb appeal dilemma offers a seamless, sleek design that is attractive to many. This alternate energy solution blends in with your home’s aesthetics, giving you a beautiful roof that delivers energy efficiency and freedom from typical power sources.
When is the most efficient time to install a solar shingle roof?
Unlike solar panels, which can be installed on top of your current roofing system at any time, solar shingles need to be installed when you replace your entire roofing system. When solar shingles are installed, coordinating roofing shingles—engineered to look great next to your solar shingles—are also installed. Combined, these two outstanding roofing products make up the solar roofing system by GAF.
How will I benefit from GAF’s Timberline Solar Shingles?
Other companies have developed what they call “solar shingles,” but they’re more like small solar panels. They require rails to screw the panels into them. Then GAF developed what consumers were crying out for—an actual solar shingle that works like a shingle.
GAF Timberline Solar™ is certified as both solar panels (that deliver energy) and construction materials (that can be nailed on a roof).
How are solar shingles installed?
Regarding installation, GAF’s solar shingles work like traditional shingles. A trained team of roofers (like us!) drive nails through a three-inch nailing strip, overlap the top of the roof shingle with the bottom of the following one, and repeat. The simplicity of installation makes this product far more accessible, as installations don’t take much longer than traditional roofing installations.
While solar panels are installed 6-10 inches above the roof, solar shingles are installed flush to the roof, delivering an aesthetically pleasing alternative to traditional solar panels.
How does the appearance of solar shingles impact my home’s curb appeal?
Unlike the apparent look of solar panels, the sleek, modern design of GAF Timberline Solar™ shingles is the perfect fit for modern Kansas City area homes. GAF Timberline roofing shingles without solar capabilities are designed to match the size, shape, and color of solar shingles for a uniform appearance.
Will my home still be well protected from the elements with solar shingles on my roof?
Rack-mounted solar panels require many holes through a roof for the solar footings to be mounted. This creates weaknesses and opportunities for costly damage from water intrusion. Solar panels make an ideal spot for rodents, pests, and debris to hide, putting your home at risk for expensive damage.
Solar shingles shield your home from harsh weather just like a traditional roofing system, but they also generate clean energy! GAF Timberline Solar guarantees a waterproof roofing system for 25 years, and they don’t attract pest damage because they are flush with your roofing shingles.
What about the efficiency of solar shingles as an energy source?
Solar shingles use the same technology as solar panels, but they’re smaller than traditional solar panels and are designed to look similar to ordinary roof shingles. They are capable of generating electricity in a similar fashion as traditional solar panels. These outstanding shingles are like mini solar panels that use the same effect to generate electricity from sunlight.
Depending on your home design, these shingles may not be positioned to capture the most sunlight because their location is fixed. Solar shingles are still a reliable, cash-saving, planet-saving clean energy option for your home.
Are solar shingles cost-effective?
Solar shingles are a cost-effective, one-time investment during a roof replacement. They’re a great choice, particularly if you’re planning on living in your home for some time or desiring to increase the value of your home. They will enhance your home’s value, making it attractive to buyers.
Get Cutting-Edge Solar Shingles for Your Kansas City Area Home
At Christian Brothers Roofing, we’ve partnered with GAF, the leading roofing brand in North America, to bring you the company’s state-of-the-art, sleek solar shingles. We’re honored to be the highest-certified roofing company with GAF in Kansas City. We earned the Master Elite Certification and the GAF President’s Club Award for our commitment to performance, reliability, and service.
Learn more about our solar shingles roofing installation services.
