Leave enough space between panels and the roof edge for installation, maintenance, and safety, with a recommended minimum distance ranging from 6 inches to 2 feet.
Placing solar panels too close to the edge of the roof can have potential risks and disadvantages. These include an increased risk of damage from strong winds, shading issues that reduce efficiency, and limited space for maintenance and repairs.
Can solar panels extend beyond the edge of a roof?
Panels should never extend beyond the edge of the roof as the wind can be stronger there. To keep your property safe, and to abide by MCS regulations, we try to maintain a margin of 30 cm around the panels. In recent years solar panels have become smaller but more efficient.
How far should roof panels be from roof edge?
Leave enough space between panels and the roof edge for installation, maintenance, and safety, with a recommended minimum distance ranging from 6 inches to 2 feet. Ensure easy access for cleaning, inspections, and repairs by maintaining a safe distance from the roof edge.
Even when manufacturer guidelines don't require it, installers still need to leave enough space at the bottom edge of a roof so water flowing down solar panels doesn't overshoot the gutter. It is also good practice to leave at least 20cm between panels and roof edges.
How close should solar panels be to the roof?
You'll also need to take into account how close the solar panels can be to the edge of the roof as some clearance is necessary. Panels should never extend beyond the edge of the roof as the wind can be stronger there. To keep your property safe, and to abide by MCS regulations, we try to maintain a margin of 30 cm around the panels.
The 200-300mm requisite is simply to allow for a slate / tile / and a half to be fitted to the edges and be finished accordingly, eg so the in-roof trays can be part of a robust weatherproof install. FYI, a few installers put the bottom of the panels too close to the gutter and the rain overshoots the gutter. One issue to watch / mitigate against.