Solar Roof vs. Traditional Roof: Which One to Choose?

From design to functionality, roofs are an integral part of your house. Not only do roofs help you live a worriless life without leakage or moss growth problems, but they also add value to the overall look of the home. However, roofing is not as simple as it may seem. If not done right, the home will be ruined regarding its overall look and safety. That is why it is essential to do your research before choosing roofing companies. Besides, it is crucial not to get misled by trending roofing types and select the one that suits your house and preferences. Today, many people think about choosing between solar roofing and traditional solar panel roofing. The choice isn’t as easy as it seems as there are many differences between the two types. 

I suggest exploring roofing overall and then going over the key aspects of both types of roofing, including solar and traditional. Plus, later in the article, we will not only have an inclination towards one roofing type but will also get an understanding of which company to trust with roofing for our houses. Let’s go!

All About Roofing

Roofs sustain your house. The roof’s peak is called a ridge, the bottom – eave, sloping edges – rakes. The valley is the inner intersection of two roof planes and the outside corner is called a hip. The frame underlies everything. Trust me, your house will suffer from the slightest weather change without all these parts. 

To hinder leaks, roofs have a slope to shed water. Interesting fact: all roofs have slopes, no matter if we talk about flat roofs or the most common A-framed gabled roofs. For you to imagine, flat roofs have a slight incline that sustains the required drainage. Plus, flat roofs provide homeowners rooftop space for allocating different items and implementing different designs for the location. In the meantime, A-framed gabled roofs have the most significant slope capable of shedding snow and water, which manages to keep the house safe during hurricane winds too. 

Did you know that some roof types come from ancient times? Yes, you read it right. For instance, Mansard roofs come from the Empire period, which is why they have a curved hip look. This type has been the favorite one of the Adams family. Why is that so? Because with Mansard roofs, the family had an opportunity to craft the additional living space with the preferred luxurious design on the roof. 

Roofing material choices are infinite. The asphalt shingles, for instance, come either with three-tab shingles or architectural shingles. Nowadays, the solar industry flourishes, many solar panel companies take up roofing too. The best solar panel companies offer customers a mix of solar panel systems and roofing services – solar roofs with solar shingles. However, their offer doesn’t end with their specialization. Still, these companies offer traditional solar panel roofing with solar panels. Here, you also need to choose. But, unlike the situation with asphalt shingles, there is much more to consider before going for this or that type of roofing. 

Let’s Compare: Traditional vs. Solar Roofing   

Solar panel companies provide roofing services encompassing the installation of solar panels on roofs separately. That’s one of the best things to consider as, in that way, you tap into the world of environmental sustainability no matter the roof type you own. 

Nevertheless, solar panel companies didn’t limit themselves to providing roofing services encompassing the installation of solar panel systems on roofs separately. They decided to deliver fully-integrated solar roofing services that include an entire solar energy system in an existing roof. Instead of doing the roof installation in a traditional way with solar panels, companies conduct it with exclusively designed solar shingles. 

So, should we go for traditional roofing with solar panels or take the new solar roofing with solar shingles? 

Roofs with Solar Shingles vs. Roofs with Solar Panels

Aesthetics 

To tell the truth, there is no evident visual differentiation between solar shingles and solar panels on the roof. Solar roofs that get installed with solar shingles provide the home with the look of consistency, minimalism, and sleekness. On the other side, solar panels have a plethora of options for roof design. If solar shingles don’t have a wide range of design selections, solar panel systems come with color variety, including panels with all-black frames, black with silver frames, etc. This is to tell you that if you love controlling everything, then you should definitely go for a traditional roof with solar panel systems. In this case, you will be able to choose the color of the solar panel’s frame that will sit on your roof for a while. 

Pricing

Well, well, there is a slight inconsistency regarding the pricing of these two roof types in the solar industry. Considering that different solar panel companies price roofing services differently, we will dig deeper into how they decide the cost rather than how much they put on the price tag. With solar roofs, pricing is multilayered. This means that solar panel installation companies take into account roofing materials alongside solar components while providing a price for solar roofing. To put it in another way, you should pay for solar energy in $/watt plus for roofing in $/square foot. Here, it is crucial to keep in mind that the price will fluctuate depending on the design you choose for solar tiles. The higher the number of solar tiles used in the roofing, the higher the price for the service. 

Everything is way more straightforward with traditional solar panel roofing. Solar panel companies don’t need to conduct multilayered calculations. What they do is charge the client $/watt plus the solar panel installation cost. This means that regardless of what roof design you go for, you still pay for the solar energy that gets added to the rooftop of your house. Also, when you go for traditional solar panel roofing, you don’t sacrifice solar energy production capacity, but you cut the cost of roofing services. 

Limitations

Like every other service, roofing also has its limitations. In the case of solar shingles, these won’t work for flat roofs and roofs with multiple architectural features. Plus, as long as we discussed, solar shingles are exclusively designed in recent solar technology, right? Well, that’s why many buildings either don’t accept the installation of solar shingles on the roof or prolong the acceptance process. With this, the timeline for installation gets prolonged too. 

Considering the name of the other roofing type – traditional solar panel roofing – you may think it has no limitation. Well, to some extent, if compared to solar shingles, the limitations for solar panels on the roof are much fewer. It’s better to say that it has only one limitation – design. Modern people tend to go after impeccable design and prefer not showing that they own solar panels on the roof. But don’t you think that solar panel systems on the roof are an indicator of a sustainable lifestyle? To put it in another way, for some, the way solar panel roofs look may be a limitation, but for others, it may be an opportunity to tell the community that environmental sustainability is important for them. Regarding the timeline, as it is widely accepted technology to install on the roof, there is an average period for installation – 3-5 months. 

Roofing with Ameco

No matter which roofing type you go for, Ameco can provide you with the roofing experience you were looking for. The secret lies in almost 50 years of expertise in solar panel installations and roofing with solar shingles and solar panels. Everything is simple with Ameco, as what you want gets implemented in a professional manner. Plus, the process of getting roofing services from the solar panel company is automated for you to save time on the initial stage of the partnership. To get the service you need, you have to take four simple steps:

Congratulations – you are done with roofing procedures!

Of course, further guidance and assistance are always available for you, no matter your needs or concerns.   

Plus, Ameco provides:

So, with Ameco, your solar experience will be worth it! 

Final Note

No matter which type of roofing you choose, ensure that your house fits that type. Even though your preferences for roof design are essential, roofing has its limitations. Note that if you want to install a solar roof with solar shingles, then there are quite a few limitations that may impede you. If a limitation comes your way, don’t get upset because you always have the option of traditional solar panel roofing! 

Choose your roofing type wisely and ensure that the solar panel company you partner with has the experience in the solar industry to provide you seamless roofing experience. 

Take your time, choose the best solar panel company, and go solar with Ameco!