While solar panels have been a popular and largely desired addition for many homeowners and can make homes more sustainable, often, they're bulky and less appealing. However, solar panel installations have become more convenient and innovative for the average homeowner to take advantage of. Here's how solar shingles work and what every homeowner should know about them.
How Solar Shingles Work
Functionally, solar shingles work exactly like solar panels. By absorbing the sun's rays, the shingles convert sunlight into usable energy that then keeps your home powered. This process is possible thanks to semiconductors, a crucial electrical component that nearly all electric devices use. Semiconductors act as the middleman between conductors and insulators and help maintain the flow of electricity.
What Solar Shingles Offer
Solar shingles are a thinner and less intrusive alternative to traditional solar panels. Solar shingles look nearly identical to your roof's normal shingles, helping them to integrate seamlessly. For many homeowners, this alone is a godsend because it allows them to improve their homes without altering their homes' overall appearance by having blocky panels sitting on their roofs.
Furthermore, solar shingles generate far more energy than many people think. Not only will you have stored enough electricity after the sun sets, but excess electricity is returned to the electrical grid. This is often the biggest concern many people have—that during the night or when the weather turns sour, they won't have any power—but rest assured you'll always have enough excess power to get you through any late night or rainy day.
Solar Shingles vs. Panels
To delve further into the shingles versus panels debate, solar shingles have an advantage in both appearance and installation. Solar panel installations typically require a trained specialist's touch to ensure they're installed correctly, but solar shingles have improved the solar installation process immensely. Solar shingles are installed like normal shingles, meaning any roofer is capable of installing the shingles without issue, creating a uniform appearance for your roof.