Ins and Outs of PV Shingles

PV shingles (or photovoltaic shingles) have many benefits and some considerations. The benefits of PV shingles include an aesthetic appearance in a dark blue color. They are also similar in appearance to conventional roof shingles and are therefore labeled theft proof. If you choose to supplement your energy with PV shingle rather than purchase the whole system outright, the PV shingles blend nicely with your conventional shingles. They are also just as weather proof as conventional shingles and you can walk on your roof as much as you normally would. They have zero land use and absolutely no toxic components to them. PV shingles are still very efficient under low light conditions because of the properties of the properties of think film triple junction PV bypass diode located on every cell which gives them ideal shadow tolerance. They are self cleaning and very low maintenance. They have a well designed wiring system and 20-25 year warranty. PV shingles weigh 140 lbs/sq and can tolerate a wind load of up to 60 mile per hour. Typical system range is 1 kW to 4kW.

Installation can be done by a skilled home owner or by a contractor specializing in PV shingle installation. The shingles are installed on your roof by nailing them into place using common roofing nails on a conventional roofing deck over a 30 pound felt underlay. They are applied in consecutive overlapping layers. The lead wires on the back side of the shingles pass through the roof deck to allow wiring connection to be made in the roof space.

Some things to consider before purchasing PV shingles are first that a minimum roof angle of 15 degrees is required and the shingles cannot be fit to unusually shaped roof tops. Also, an under decking of ventilated plywood is required for installation. Contact a PV shingle sales representative to answer all of your questions before purchasing a PV shingle system on your home.

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