New York State Solar Farm only installs the best of the best roof and ground mounted solar panels with SunPower.
With unique patented technology different from all the rest, SunPower panels produce the most power, and are the most efficient, durable, longest-lasting, and aesthetic solar panels on the market. Backed by the only 25 year warranty in the industry that covers production, product, labor & shipping over that timeframe, you don’t have to worry about a thing with a SunPower solar installation.
Read more about what makes SunPower Solar Panels Different Here.
Roof Mounted Solar
Roof mounted solar panel installations account for over 90% of our installs, and are more economic in terms of up front investment. The reason for this being that your home serves as the structure for the panels. With a ground mount we have to build the structure, as well as install the panels on it. We also have to trench and run conduit and wiring to where the ground mount will go, whereas your home already has an electrical connection right there.
New York State Solar Farm can install on asphalt shingle, standing seam metal, and corrugated metal roofs, as well as rolled rubber and flat roofs. We guarantee that no damage will be done to your roof from the solar installation. In fact, the solar panels will actually help to protect your roof from the elements that would normally hit it, and could extend the life of your roof for this reason.
We do recommend installing your solar panels when your roof has a good amount of life left to it given that the panels that we install have an expected useful life of 40 years, and if not, reroofing prior to your solar installation.
The panels can always be removed and reinstalled after you reroof in the future if need be. Cost to do so would be assessed at that time, but is currently $200 per panel.
You may be wondering, what makes an ideal solar roof? We’ll explain below.
Orientation to the Sun
The most ideal roof for solar faces south as it will be able to soak up the most sun throughout the day and year. Western and eastern exposures can also be good candidates. Roofs facing north are not typically suitable for solar, but if a north facing roof does meet all of the other requirements listed below it may be considered.
Few Obstructions
Things like trees, taller roofs that overshadow lower roofs, chimneys, dormers, other buildings, utility lines, etc. can cause shade on your roof making it less ideal for solar panels, regardless of its orientation to the sun. The most ideal solar roofs are unshaded by these obstructions, but just because you do have some shade does not mean that your roof isn’t a good candidate.
As you know, the position of the sun moves throughout the day and the year, thus whatever object is shading your roof likely won’t shade it all the time, and your roof may still provide you with excellent solar production.
Don’t try to guess yourself if your roof is a good candidate! Enlist the help of our experts to see exactly what your roof has the potential to produce on an annual basis, and if solar makes sense for you.
For a Free Solar Estimate Please Click Here
Roof Structure
An ideal solar roof has a wide open surface area not hindered by dormers, skylights, etc.
An ideal pitch for a southern facing roof is between 30 and 35 degrees, and 10 to 30 degrees for an east or west facing roof, but we can install on almost any pitch, and even flat roofs.
Of course your roof also has to be structurally sound in order to hold the weight of the solar panels, as well as the unfortunate amount of snow we receive in our area.
The good news about this is that the solar panels will actually help the snow to melt/slide off of your roof faster, and despite the snow we get, we still receive enough sun in our area to make solar a very viable option. Solar installation in NY can save you a significant amount of money on your electricity bills.
Learn more about how much you can save here
If you decide to move forward with a solar installation with us, we will come out to your home to perform a Technical Home Analysis where we will assess the structural integrity of your roof to ensure it meets all local building code requirements for holding this extra weight. Our plans will also be stamped by an independent structural engineer in order to obtain the building permit we acquire on your behalf for your solar installation.
All of the above explains what makes a good roof for solar, but you can take the guesswork out of whether or not your roof is a good candidate by requesting a free quote from us today!
Ground Mounted Solar
As we stated above, ground mounted solar installations do tend to be more expensive than roof mounted installations because of the fact that we have to build the structure that the panels are mounted to, and we have to trench to run conduit and wiring to where the ground mount will be situated on your property.
Ground mounts do have their advantages, however. If your roof is not ideal for solar according to the specs we have described above, a ground mount may be your only option. Usually, ground mounts can be placed at a 180-degree orientation, true south, the orientation most ideal for sun exposure and maximum solar production.
At New York State Solar Farm, we pride ourselves on system aesthetics, and the panels and hidden conduit methods we use allow us to create beautiful solar installations. Still, if you just don’t think you would like the way solar looks on your home, you may opt for a ground mount.
View photos of our roof and ground mounted installations here.
It is important to note that ground mounts do need to be installed less than 300 feet away from your home, they can not be installed in front yards and rarely can be installed in side yards. Every town has different rules in place in terms of how far the ground mount has to be from your property lines, whether or not it can be in eyeshot of your neighbors, how big and tall the ground mount can be, etc.
There are some towns we service that simply do not allow ground mount installations, and some whose rules are so strict they make them too cost and time prohibitive to build.
NYSSF Roof and Ground Mounted Solar Installations
While we do recommend roof-mounted installations over ground mounts in the majority of cases, we encourage you to contact us if you are interested in a ground mount to see if it would be a feasible solution for you. Our solar experts can help you decide between roof and ground mounted solar systems.
Contact us today to get a free quote!