House of Questions - Page 2

Abbate: Eichlers do present unique challenges for solar installations, but SolarCraft knows how to tackle that kind of roof, when other companies will not. We specialize in customized solar design/build solutions, and that applies to Eichlers. SolarCraft has installed solar on more than 100 Eichler homes.

You don't have an attic or crawlspace, so you don't have a lot of opportunity to hide the conduit. Also, [something] to consider with Eichler designs is the placement of wiring, which is on the roof the majority of the time. Oftentimes foam roofing conceals where the wiring is.

The spacing required for the solar racking is also a challenge, as Eichler have wide and varying spacing on the roof beams, and anything over a six-foot span requires special solar racking. Eichlers are like snowflakes, no two are the same!

The flat roof designs of Eichlers, however, also offer an advantage when installing solar: There is no pitch or sloping roof for the installers to be concerned with, so it's easier and much safer to work on. Also, the flat roof allows for panel placement flexibility to maximize exposure to the sun.

What are the best (and worst) approaches in adding solar while wanting to preserve the roofline?

Abbate: Keeping it as flush as possible to maintain aesthetics is ideal, but it really depends on each home and the roof design. Many homeowners want their solar installation proudly visible from the street, while others want it hidden. Profiles of solar racking and how flush it can be installed also depends on thickness of foam on the roof.

How many inches protruding above a roofline is too many?

Abbate: There is no limit as long as you have the proper engineering done prior to installation. It's really an aesthetics issue, and often there are HOA [homeowner association] restrictions.

Feriante: We have found that 18 inches or lower tends to be the sweet spot for flat-roof Eichlers. Our Dura-Foam arrays are typically angled six inches to 18 inches above the roof surface (low point to high point). Each array row is separated by a 24-inch pathway, allowing full roof access for long-term upkeep while avoiding the need for temporary array removal. The cost of one temporary array removal could negate [the savings of] years of clean-power generation. With arrays permanently in-place, our coating applications extend roof life well beyond the expected life of the solar panels, say 50+ years.

Are there any solutions to rooftop pooling that can be combined with adding solar?

Feriante: Yes, sealing solar penetrations with foam roofing can include added roof thickness to improve drainage at existing roof areas that tend to pool with water. In addition, new roof installations may include tapered rigid foam-board insulation as an underlying substrate that creates a positive slope across flat roof areas. The new roof system gets installed over the taper board layer.

Abbate: Unfortunately, the only solution for rooftop pooling is to reroof with a slope. Reroofing is the ideal time to install a solar-power system, as the solar mounting installation can be coordinated with the roofing installation to minimize work and save the homeowner time and costs.