Solar panels can be safely installed on most kinds of metal roofs, including copper, steel, and aluminum. However, before you go slapping a set of panels onto the roof and calling it a day, there are a few factors you need to consider and precautions you need to take.
First and foremost, you need the right kind of mounting system. Depending on the kind of metal roof you have and its overall condition, you’ll need to use different means of mounting the panels to the roof. You can’t do this the same way you would with a tile roof or the panels would fall off. For instance, if you have a standing seam roof that’s had some time to settle onto your house, you can use a set of simple clamps to attach the panels without making holes in the roof. On the flipside, if your roof is corrugated, you’ll need a special mount designed to attach directly to the roof’s ribs. In either case, you’ll want a mount with a degree of flexibility so the panels can be tilted toward the sun.
Additionally, before you do any mounting, you should have your roof professionally evaluated to determine its total safe load capacity. Strong as metal is, it can only hold so much weight before the structural integrity of your house is compromised. Make sure the panels you get are lighter than the max weight, assuming your roof can even support them.
