Solar

A well-designed solar array pays you back for twenty-five years. A poorly designed one nags you with under-production and roof leaks for the same period. Because Roof Technologies installs both the roof and the solar, we design systems that work with the structure below them — proper flashing at every mount, clean wire management, and a layout tuned to how your specific roof actually gets sun.

How We Size and Design a System

Every solar design starts with your utility. We pull twelve months of kilowatt-hour consumption from your bills, map that against your roof's usable area, and model production using your latitude, roof pitch, azimuth, and any shading from trees, chimneys, or neighboring structures. You see the production estimate, the offset percentage, and the payback in writing before you sign anything.

• Orientation: South is ideal in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wyoming; west and east produce less but can still pencil out, especially on time-of-use rate plans where afternoon production is more valuable.
• Pitch: A 25-to-35-degree pitch is close to the sweet spot for our latitude. Low-slope and steep roofs still work — the model just adjusts.
• Shading: Even partial shade on a single panel can drag down a string. We use microinverters or DC optimizers where shading is a factor so a compromised panel does not drag the rest of the array.
• Structural Review: Older homes sometimes need sistered rafters or collar ties. We identify that up front, not mid-install.

Equipment We Install

We are not tied to a single module or inverter brand. We specify tier-one equipment with strong performance warranties and U.S. support:

• Panels: Monocrystalline modules from REC, Q CELLS, Silfab, and similar premium names. Monocrystalline is the standard today — higher efficiency per square foot than polycrystalline, which matters when roof area is limited.
• Microinverters: Enphase IQ series — a small inverter per panel, which eliminates single points of failure, simplifies future expansion, and keeps partial shade from killing a string.
• String Inverters and Optimizers: SolarEdge string inverters with DC optimizers at each panel — a strong option when budget or array size favors a central inverter with panel-level monitoring.
• Critter Guards: Mesh skirting around the array perimeter to keep squirrels and birds out from underneath. A small add that prevents real chewed-wire problems.
• Snow-Shedding Considerations: Panel edge placement, setbacks from the eave, and roof attachment flashings that work cleanly under snow slide.

Battery Storage

Storage is optional but increasingly common. A battery lets you time-shift your own solar production, run critical loads during an outage, and in some cases optimize against a time-of-use utility rate.

• Tesla Powerwall: Whole-home backup with a clean app interface and strong cycle life.
• Enphase IQ Battery: Modular storage that pairs directly with an Enphase microinverter system.
• Backup Loads Panel: We design the critical-load subpanel to cover what actually matters to you — fridge, furnace controls, internet, a few outlets — instead of oversizing on storage you will not use.

Incentives, Net Metering, and Interconnection

The federal Investment Tax Credit — 30% of the installed system cost — applies through 2032 under current law. Colorado layers additional incentives depending on the utility and, for Xcel Energy customers, net metering that credits exported energy against future bills. We walk you through the paperwork for each:

• Federal ITC documentation for your accountant (IRS Form 5695).
• Utility interconnection application and meter swap coordination.
• Net metering enrollment where applicable.
• Local permitting and building department sign-off.
• Final PTO (Permission to Operate) from the utility before the system turns on.

The Roof-First Advantage

This is where we are different from a pure-play solar company. If your roof has fewer than ten years of remaining service life, putting panels on it is a mistake — when the shingles fail, someone has to pull the array, pay for a re-roof, and pay again to reset the panels. We will tell you that up front and, when a roof replacement is needed, we run both projects as a single coordinated scope:

• Pull and Reset: If you have an existing array on a roof that needs to be replaced, we pull the panels, replace the roof, and reset the array — often with upgraded flashings and better wire management than the original installer used.
• New Roof + New Solar: When you are replacing the roof anyway, we design the shingle layout and the solar layout together so attachment points land cleanly and the finished look is better than a bolt-on retrofit.
• Single Warranty Contact: If there is ever a leak near a mount, you call us — no finger-pointing between a roofer and a solar installer.

Is Solar Right for You?

Solar pencils out best when several of these are true:

• You own the home and plan to be there at least five to seven years.
• Your roof has significant remaining service life (or you are replacing it).
• You have meaningful electric consumption — typical home use, electric vehicles, heat pumps, or a workshop.
• You have south-, east-, or west-facing roof area without heavy shading.
• You have the tax appetite to claim the 30% federal credit.

Warranties and Monitoring

Tier-one panels carry 25-year performance warranties guaranteeing at least 85-90% of original output at year 25. Enphase microinverters carry a 25-year warranty; most string inverters are 10-12 years with extensions available. Every system we install includes a monitoring app so you can see per-panel production from your phone and spot a shaded or faulty module immediately.

Schedule a Solar Consultation

We will review your utility bills, inspect your roof, and send you a written proposal with equipment specs, production modeling, incentive totals, and financing options.

Call us at 855 ROOF-001, email us at info [at] rooftechnologies.com, or submit a request through our contact form to schedule your free solar consultation.

Still have questions? Contact us

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