Metal & Copper Roofing Blog

Combining Roof Top Solar with Copper and Other Metal Roofs

As beautiful as our copper roof tiles and shingles are, we are finding more and more clients who are requesting solar panels along with their new copper roof systems. While it can certainly be done, our recommendation is combining profiles so that the portion of the roof that is to hold the solar panels is different that the rest of the roof that is exposed.
 
The reason for this combination of metal roof profiles is easily understood. Something like our metal tile or shake profile is just not intended for repetitive foot traffic. Even though they can be walked on without significant damage (in fact, the installer must walk on them in order to perform the installation!), too much foot traffic is liable to cause dents. The traffic caused by installation and maintenance of a solar array will inevitably compromise any type of roof, including one of ours in copper or some other metal. Not to mention that covering up a roof as beautiful as one of our copper roof tiles is just such a shame!
 
However, our clients want solar and so the best possible solution is to install one of our standing seam panel systems on the part of the roof that will hold the solar panel array. Because our standing seam systems can accept solar panels without requiring holes be cut in the roof, and because they are the least compromised by foot traffic, it is proving to be the most successful method of combining the architectural and practical concerns. Whether copper, aluminum, steel, or one of our other metals the combination of standing seam for the solar portion of the roof and a tile, shake, shingle, or diamond profile for the rest of the roof makes for a beautiful and functional roof system.

Topics: best roof for solar, copper roofs