In general terms, solar panels should not be installed on combustible roofs unless some form of fire protection can be installed between the panels and the roof e. concrete panels or pebble ballast.
Should I install solar panels on my roof?
If your roof faces another direction as you can likely still see plenty of benefit from installing a solar array. East and west facing roofs are also suitable for solar panels and will still see a good deal of energy generation throughout the course of the day.
Can you install solar panels on a roof in the UK?
The majority of UK homes have a roof suitable for solar panel installation. Great news for anyone looking to generate their own renewable electricity. If you'd like to speak to an MCS certified (or equivalent) solar installer for advice – you can get free no-obligation quotes from up to 4 solar installers in your area using Solar Guide.
Whether you roof is big enough for solar panels depends on the size of the array you want installed. You can also look at our other resources to see how many solar panels you may need for your particular house size and roof. For a standard 4kW size system you would need around 28 square meters of clean roof space.
Solar panels do work on a flat roof, but the panels need to be at a specific angle to generate the most electricity - around 35 degrees is perfect in the UK.
Can you put a solar panel on a thatched roof?
Thatched roofs are not suitable for solar panels. There's no mounting system designed for thatch, which wouldn't be ventilated well enough underneath the panels and so would rot. And given that thatched roofs already present a fire risk, putting an electrical system on top wouldn't be sensible!
Can solar panels be installed on a combustible roof?
In general terms, solar panels should not be installed on combustible roofs unless some form of fire protection can be installed between the panels and the roof e.g. concrete panels or pebble ballast. 3. Location of solar panels