Cambridge is known for beautiful older homes, many of which have architectural details that homeowners want to preserve. For properties with slate roofs, that can create a problem when the homeowner decides to go solar.
Many solar installers are comfortable working on asphalt shingles but hesitate when they encounter slate. Some homeowners are even told that solar panels can’t be installed unless the slate is removed or replaced.
Fortunately, that’s not the case.
Solar panels can be installed on slate roofs in Cambridge MA without sacrificing a sound slate roof. The important difference is using an installation method specifically designed for slate.
Why Solar Installation on Slate Roofs Is Different
Slate is exceptionally durable and can last far longer than conventional asphalt roofing. However, individual slate tiles are brittle and can crack when they’re drilled, improperly walked on or subjected to concentrated pressure.
That’s why a standard solar installation technique isn’t necessarily appropriate for a slate roof.
The challenge isn’t the solar panels themselves. It’s creating secure mounting points while protecting the existing slate.
Solar Slate Solutions developed the patented SlatePlate™ specifically to address this problem. Rather than treating slate like asphalt shingles, SlatePlate is designed to transfer the solar array’s load into the roof structure instead of placing that load on the slate tiles. The system installs between existing slate courses without removing slate to mount the array.
Cambridge Homes Are Worth Protecting
Installing solar on an older Cambridge home isn’t simply a matter of maximizing the number of panels that will fit on a roof.
Homeowners may also want to preserve the appearance and architectural character of the property.
A slate roof can be one of a home’s most distinctive and valuable exterior features. If the slate remains in good condition, replacing it merely to accommodate solar can mean giving up a roofing material capable of lasting for generations.
A slate-specific solar installation allows homeowners to pursue renewable energy while keeping the roof that makes their home distinctive.
For properties subject to historic review, panel placement and visibility can also become important considerations. Solar Slate Solutions can work with homeowners and their solar installers to develop an approach appropriate for the individual property.
Do You Need to Replace Your Slate Roof Before Going Solar?
Usually, not simply because it’s slate.
The condition of the roof matters much more than its age alone. Well-maintained slate roofs commonly last 75 to 100 years or longer.
Before installing solar panels, the roof should be evaluated for issues such as damaged or missing slate, deteriorated flashing, structural concerns and other repairs that should be completed before the solar array is installed.
If the roof is fundamentally sound, however, there may be no reason to replace good slate with asphalt shingles just to make solar installation easier.
Choosing a Solar Installer for a Cambridge Slate Roof
If you’re considering solar panels for a slate-roof home in Cambridge, ask potential installers some questions that wouldn’t be necessary for a typical asphalt roof:
- How much experience do you have installing solar on natural slate?
- How will the mounting system protect the slate tiles?
- Will slate need to be removed to install the mounting points?
- Where will the weight of the solar array be transferred?
- How will roof penetrations be flashed and sealed?
A contractor who regularly installs solar panels may still have limited experience with slate.
Solar Slate Solutions solves that problem by handling the specialized slate mounting and working alongside the solar installer, who handles the panels, electrical work and permitting.
Solar on Slate Has Already Been Done in Cambridge
Perhaps the best answer to whether solar panels can be installed on a slate roof in Cambridge comes from homeowners who have already done it.
Solar Slate Solutions has completed slate-roof solar work in Cambridge and elsewhere throughout Greater Boston. One Cambridge customer summed up the experience simply: “You proved it could be done. Now I am enjoying my savings.”
If you have a slate roof in Cambridge MA and have been told solar isn’t an option, it may be worth getting a second opinion from specialists who work specifically with slate.
Your slate roof doesn’t have to prevent you from going solar — and you shouldn’t have to sacrifice a good slate roof to make solar possible.