If you’ve been looking into solar you have probably wondered how many solar panels you can fit on your roof?
It’s a very common question and there are a few different things that impact the number of solar panels that can be placed on your roof.
You could certainly fill up your entire roof space with solar panels, but it probably isn’t the best thing to do.
It’s important to have a solar system designed by a professional so it functions efficiently and properly.
We will discuss how many solar panels you can fit on your roof and also WHERE they should be placed!
Roof Direction – The direction the roof faces impacts how many solar panels you should place onto a roof. South facing roofs are the best for solar panels, followed by West and East facing roof sections. Panels can be installed on North facing roof sections, but it is usually not the best place for them.
Vents & Roof Obstructions – Do you have any vents, plumbing jacks, swamp coolers, or satellite dishes on the roof? Some vents can be moved, while others cannot. If you have a lot of vents or obstructions on a section of roof, it probably isn’t the best place to put solar panels!
Fire Setback –
Solar roof setbacks are required under the 2018 International Fire Code Section 1204. A setback is the amount of required free space around the solar panels so a person can walk around them on the roof. This is very important if there is a fire or other emergency situation.
According to Aurora Solar, The IFC contains regulations to protect life and property from fire and explosion, and ranges from covering general fire precautions, firefighter access, emergency planning, and more. The IFC mandates the following rules for solar roof setbacks:
Residential
A 36 inch pathway must be available spanning from the bottom roof edge to the ridge.
Setbacks at ridge:
For PV arrays taking up 33% of the roof or less: 18 inch setback on both sides of the ridge.
For PV arrays taking up more than 33% of the roof: 36 inch setback on both sides of ridge.
A 36 inch pathway is required directly below a roof exit or rescue opening.
Square Footage of Roof – How big is your roof? Do you know about how many square feet of roof space you have?
You can use a free service like Google Maps with the measuring tool, or you can order a professional roof measurement report from Eagleview.
After calculating the square footage of your roof you should be able to see about how many solar panels you can fit on your roof.
