While The Sun Shines – Make Electricity

Now, more than ever before, the future of our planet is something we cannot ignore. Sir David Attenborough is the voice of wisdom, Greta Thunberg the example for the younger generation – with many more in between telling us we must act before it’s too late. But how can we do ‘our bit’? We can recycle, we can try to use less plastic and maybe we can be less reliant on fossil fuels.
While Government incentives to put PV (photovoltaic) panels on the roof of your home have largely disappeared, it may still be a move worth considering if you can use the electricity you generate. It is also possible that some electricity companies will buy the electricity that you export into the national grid. With installation costs coming down, you could be on to a winner. But how do you know your if house and, more importantly, your roof is suitable to have solar panels put on it?
At SER we have assessed PV installations for many hundreds of residential properties, so have extensive knowledge in this field. The panels themselves are not actually that heavy so most recently built roofs, in good condition, should easily be able to accommodate the weight. If your roof already has a structural problem though, or is of non-standard construction, some strengthening may be required. This might also be the case if the roof is very old. In more unusual settings, such as high altitude or coastal locations, the extra loads caused by high winds or heavy snow would also have to be taken into account.
A Structural Engineers Report is vital if there is any concern about whether your roof is strong enough for solar panels and we work with both PV installers and homeowners as required. Sometimes a site visit and inspection is needed, but often a simple desktop assessment is all that is required.