Whether you’re shopping for a Bay Area roofing company to remodel an old office complex; or you’re testing architectural concepts for a new environmentally friendly San Francisco home, you would like to “go solar.”

Before you make the leap, you need to know whether your current roof (or prospective roof) would be a naturally good fit for solar. Here are five tests to do:

1. Search for shadows

Shadows cast by trees, buildings, and overhanging vegetation can influence the solar setup. To do PV installation, for instance, you want to maximize your sun exposure. Your roof should be south-facing here in the Bay Area to extract as much solar energy as possible.

2. Learn the load bearing capacity of the roof

You obviously need to know the amount of infrastructure that the roof can safely hold. A standard solar panel set up weighs about 15 kilograms per square meter.

3. Know how much solar power you need to generate

Not all available rooftop space can be used for your panels. In some cases, you can use up to 90% of the rooftop. But aim for around 70% max to be on the safe side.

4. Pay attention to miscellaneous factors

You may have aesthetic constraints or ambitions, for instance. Some high-end products and panels can look practically indistinguishable from more “natural” types of roofing material, but these materials can add to your budget. What’s more important to you: cheap or beautiful? Prioritize before you start shopping.

5. Appreciate the tailor’s maxim: measure twice, cut once.

Spend time doing research and planning before you invest in a multi-thousand dollar roofing construction project. The better you budget, the more clearly you will understand whether the project will deliver a return on investment.

The team here at Century Roof & Solar would be happy to talk to you in detail about your solar roofing project. Connect with us today for a free estimate.