More and more solar panels have been popping up in Florida neighborhoods over the course of the last 10 years. While these present a great opportunity for homeowners to lower their monthly energy bills while shrinking their carbon footprints, solar panels are not for everyone. If you want to utilize solar energy without the bulky panels, solar shingles could be for you.
PITCH Roofing is an established, locally owned and operated roofing company. As veteran Florida roofers, we’re the experts you can trust to clearly explain your options and execute your vision. Keep reading for everything you need to know about solar shingles in Florida!
What Are Solar Shingles?
If you’re used to standard asphalt shingles, solar shingles can be hard to conceptualize. Similar to solar roofing panels, solar shingles use photovoltaic cells to collect solar energy and convert it into electricity. The main difference, however, is that these cells are part of your shingle, not added on top as a separate feature.
Depending on your preferences, solar shingles can make up the whole or part of your roofing system’s main protection. Some homeowners choose to use a small solar section surrounded by asphalt shingles, while others prefer to use solar shingles across the bulk or even all of their roof.
Having photovoltaic shingles on your home comes with many advantages, but there are also downsides worth keeping in mind. To help you make an informed decision, let’s consider the pros and cons!
The Pros & Cons of Solar Shingles in Florida
Florida is a uniquely challenging environment. While our year-round sunshine makes us one of the best states for solar roofing solutions, our hurricanes can pose a real threat to nearly any roofing material. So can solar shingles protect your home while saving you money? Let’s see how you can expect your new solar-powered roofing system to perform!
Pro: Sleek and Efficient
Installing solar panels over top of your asphalt shingles can be a pain. Your panels may not last as long as your shingles, and if you need to perform any repairs, you’ll have to remove the panels first. Add on the bulky look that can detract from your home’s curb appeal, and there are serious downsides to getting solar panels.
Solar shingles, however, have none of these weaknesses. Since the photovoltaic cells are part of your shingles, there is no additional bulk added to your roof. They also make repairs easier while contributing to, rather than reducing, your home’s curb appeal. If you want to go solar without dealing with the logistical concerns of solar panels, these shingles could be the perfect solution!
Con: Solar Shingles Are Expensive
Solar panels aren’t cheap, and photovoltaic shingles can be even more expensive. In Florida, solar shingles cost between $15 and $35 per square foot. This puts them on part with luxury clay roofing tiles! Still, many homeowners consider this method of protecting a roof while drawing solar energy to be worth the upfront investment.
Pro: Solar Shingles Can Protect Your Home
Naturally, homeowners often have concerns about the ability of solar shingles to withstand our seasonal hurricanes. But fear not — these shingles are ready for our unpredictable hurricane seasons. Rated for winds up to 130 mph, photovoltaic shingles provide similar high-wind protection as what you can expect from architectural asphalt shingles.
Photovoltaic shingles are also highly resistant to water damage and algae, meaning that our humidity shouldn’t endanger your roof or lead to disruptions with your solar energy. When it comes to combining solar energy with robust protection, photovoltaic shingles deliver.
Con: Solar Panels Generate More Power
When compared to solar panels, there’s no denying that solar shingles create less power for your home. Specifics will depend on your roof and location, but generally speaking, photovoltaic shingles generate between 15 and 70 watts per shingle. Current expert opinion is that it would take roughly 350 shingles to reduce the average energy bill by 40 to 70 percent.
For some roofs, a large section of photovoltaic shingles will still be enough for your home to go 100 percent solar. For others, however, you may see less dramatic results, especially compared to what you could see with solar panels.
Pro: Easier to Maintain Than Solar Panels
Roof maintenance is essential no matter what kind of roofing system you have. But because solar panels are installed separately from the rest of your roof and mounted on top of your roofing system, a lot more can go wrong with them. They’re especially vulnerable to hail damage as well as wear and tear to the support system.
Solar shingles are much more resistant to these threats. Because they fit sleekly as part of your roofing system, there’s much less that can go wrong with them. This can save you both time and money when it comes to maintaining your roof across its lifetime.
Get a Free Estimate for Your Solar Roofing System
At the end of the day, we’re not here to sell you on anything that you don’t want. Maybe solar shingles are right for you, but maybe solar panels are a better fit for your needs. Either way, our job is just to provide information and deliver quality workmanship alongside friendly customer service. And we can do all three at once when you request your free, no-obligation roofing estimate.
For your free solar roofing quote, call us at 727-677-4824 or fill out our contact form. We’ll get you on our schedule so that a roofing professional can inspect your roof, discuss your options with you, and prepare a quote that details how we’ll install your chosen solar roofing system and where every cent of your money will go. If you’re still on the fence, we can even prepare multiple quotes so you can compare your options!
Picking new roofing materials is a big decision, and that’s especially true when you’re considering solar shingles. Your choice will impact your home’s resale value, energy bills, and storm protection for years to come. When you need professional roofing support, reach out to our friendly crew. As Florida roofing veterans who live by Roofing Done Right, we’ll work hard to earn your trust and your business!
Heather Ware is an In-House Roofing Specialist at PITCH Roofing. Working daily alongside our internal roofing teams, she translates complex Florida building codes and roofing techniques into clear, actionable advice for homeowners. With 4 years of experience in the Florida roofing industry, her goal is to ensure property owners have the exact facts they need to protect their investments.
