The businesses offering quotes might differ from these described in our unbiased opinions.
What’s the greatest total photo voltaic shingle?
Timberline Photo voltaic by GAF Vitality is our favourite photo voltaic shingle, primarily for its nice effectivity and warranties. However the race for first place is shut. Though they did not make the highest spot, we nonetheless discovered Tesla Photo voltaic Roof and CertainTeed Photo voltaic to be strong choices as nicely. Luma Photo voltaic scored decrease than the remainder, however we thought its ridiculously excessive wind ranking not less than warranted a point out.
Why select a photo voltaic shingle over conventional photo voltaic panels? Photo voltaic panels can look cumbersome and detract from the attractive aesthetic of your private home. Photo voltaic shingles, however, combine into your roof to create a extra discreet photo voltaic system.
I’ve spent numerous hours digging via photo voltaic shingle specs and talking with business specialists to get a greater understanding of how a photo voltaic roof works and what actually issues for owners who may be considering such a photo voltaic setup. I created a scoring methodology (extra on this under) primarily based on my findings to select which photo voltaic shingles stand out among the many pack. Whereas the marketplace for such a photo voltaic answer is small, it is nonetheless vital to check your choices.
Listed here are our picks for the perfect photo voltaic shingles.
Finest photo voltaic shingles of 2024
Timberline Photo voltaic by GAF Vitality takes the highest spot with its glorious warranties and effectivity scores. GAF Vitality gives three restricted warranties with its photo voltaic roof: a 25-year product guarantee in opposition to leaks and producer defects, a 15-year wind guarantee and 25-year energy output guarantee. The facility output guarantee ensures that your photo voltaic roof’s efficiency will not dip any decrease than 98% after one 12 months and will not lower by any greater than 0.55% per 12 months for the following 24 years. These shingles include the very best effectivity we have discovered (23%) and a strong wind ranking of 130 mph. The one factor holding GAF Vitality again is its decrease wattage per sq. foot (14.3).
Tesla has a observe file of constructing common however well-rounded photo voltaic merchandise. The Tesla Photo voltaic Roof isn’t any completely different. However it does include the strongest photo voltaic roof warranties we have seen. Tesla gives three restricted warranties for its Tesla Photo voltaic Roof. You will get a product guarantee that protects your roof from producer defects, a weatherization guarantee that covers injury from wind and rain, and you will additionally get an influence output guarantee. The facility output guarantee ensures that your photo voltaic roof’s efficiency will not lower to any lower than 95% for the primary 5 years and will not lower any greater than 0.5% per 12 months for the following 20 years. The Tesla Photo voltaic Roof has a decrease wind ranking of 110 mph and its shingle effectivity was not disclosed. We discovered Tesla Photo voltaic Roof’s wattage per sq. foot (15.3) to be common.
CertainTeed may not be as well-known as Tesla or GAF, but it surely’s nonetheless a great photo voltaic roof choice in your dwelling. You will get three restricted warranties: a 25-year product guarantee that protects you from producer defects, a 25-year energy output guarantee and a a lot shorter 10-year wind guarantee. The corporate ensures that your photo voltaic efficiency will not fall under 98% after one 12 months, and will not lower by any greater than 0.55% per 12 months for the next 24 years. CertainTeed Photo voltaic’s shingle wind ranking is 110 mph, which is decrease than others on this record. This photo voltaic roof additionally comes with a reasonably common effectivity ranking (19.85%) and a barely greater wattage per sq. foot (16.1).
Luma Photo voltaic scored a lot decrease than our high three picks for the perfect photo voltaic shingles, however we thought it was value together with Luma Photo voltaic within the rankings for its standout wind ranking. You will solely get two warranties with a Luma Photo voltaic roof: a five-year product guarantee and 25-year energy output guarantee. Luma’s energy output guarantee ensures that your photo voltaic roof’s efficiency will not have decreased by greater than 80% after 25 years. So far as we all know, the corporate would not supply any type of wind or weatherization guarantee. However these shingles do include an extremely excessive 200+ mph wind ranking, in line with the product’s knowledge sheet (PDF). Luma Photo voltaic’s effectivity ranking (22.10%) and wattage per sq. foot (14.9) aren’t dangerous both.
What are photo voltaic shingles?
Photo voltaic shingles are basically tiny photo voltaic panels designed to imitate conventional shingles and roofing supplies. Some photo voltaic shingles could be put in with an present roof, whereas others may require a complete roof substitute.
“A photo voltaic roof is the place you have got the [photovoltaic] system built-in into the roof design,” Bianca Howard, director of the Constructing Vitality Analysis Lab at Columbia College, advised CNET. “So you have obtained the photo voltaic shingles, that are appearing because the PV system, by way of producing electrical energy, and in addition as a purposeful constructing materials. So it is obtained a twin objective.”
Just like regular rooftop photo voltaic panels, photo voltaic shingles take up daylight and use it to generate electrical energy to energy your private home. They have a tendency to have decrease effectivity and efficiency scores than photo voltaic panels.
The primary draw with photo voltaic shingles is aesthetics. Not everybody needs big photo voltaic panels on their roof. Photo voltaic shingles are designed to mix in, which is why you may select them over the photo voltaic panels even with the decreased vitality effectivity and efficiency scores.
“By incorporating them into the roof, folks will not instantly know that you’ve PV on there, which is sweet from a design aesthetic,” Howard mentioned.
Photo voltaic shingles are additionally made to be climate resistant, providing safety from excessive winds and water leaks. Most photo voltaic shingle producers embrace some kind of restricted wind or weatherization guarantee in your buy.
Tesla’s Photo voltaic Roof shingles, like these seen at CES 2024, look quite a bit like common rooftop shingles, notably up shut.
How to decide on the perfect photo voltaic shingles in your dwelling
There might solely be a handful of photo voltaic roof producers, however there are nonetheless a number of issues to pay further consideration to when photo voltaic shingle merchandise. If in case you have the posh of getting a number of photo voltaic roof choices in your space, examine your choices fastidiously.
Guarantee
Most producers supply a restricted guarantee bundle that is available in three elements: product guarantee, wind/weatherization guarantee and an influence output/efficiency guarantee. By way of protection size, the business is in every single place. Some producers supply nice warranties, others not a lot. Howard instructed what this implies in your total roof upkeep over time. Listed here are the guarantee sorts it’s essential to know.
Product guarantee: This ensures that your photo voltaic roof will likely be free from producer defects in design and/or materials. The most effective restricted product guarantee we have seen for photo voltaic roofs is 25 years.
Wind or weatherization guarantee: Some photo voltaic shingle producers additionally supply a wind guarantee (generally known as a weatherization guarantee). This guarantee will usually cowl your roof from any wind-related injury for not less than 10 years. In some circumstances, this guarantee may also cowl water injury attributable to leaks. The longest weatherization guarantee we have seen is 25 years. Nonetheless, most producers will solely cowl wind injury for 10-15 years.
Energy output or efficiency guarantee: Each photo voltaic shingle producer we have seen gives an influence output (or efficiency) guarantee. Similar to regular photo voltaic panels, your photo voltaic shingles will see their manufacturing and effectivity drop because the years go by. An influence output guarantee is the producer’s assure that your photo voltaic roof will not drop under a selected manufacturing proportion inside a sure period of time. For instance, Tesla Photo voltaic has a 25-year energy output guarantee. The corporate ensures your photo voltaic roof’s manufacturing will not drop under 95% of its unique degree 5 years after the preliminary set up. And after 5 years, your photo voltaic roof’s manufacturing will not lower by greater than 0.5% per 12 months for the following 20 years.
Wind ranking
Each model of photo voltaic shingle ought to include a wind ranking. Similar to regular roof shingles, photo voltaic shingles can solely stand up to wind speeds as much as a certain quantity. A photo voltaic shingle’s wind ranking tells you the way excessive a wind pace your photo voltaic roof can stand up to.
Photo voltaic shingles are designed to be climate resistant, with most photo voltaic shingles having the ability to stand up to winds of not less than 110 mph. We discovered the commonest photo voltaic shingle wind ranking to be about 130 mph. When deciding what photo voltaic answer is greatest in your dwelling, ask your self if you happen to want that degree of safety for the place you are dwelling, mentioned Howard.
In the event you reside someplace that’s liable to excessive climate patterns, then a photo voltaic roof with the next wind ranking is probably going the next precedence for you.
Effectivity
Similar to conventional photo voltaic panels, every photo voltaic shingle has a most effectivity ranking. That is the quantity of daylight {that a} photo voltaic shingle (and panel) is popping into electrical energy. The effectivity ranking normally displays the product’s efficiency throughout the perfect circumstances potential. The upper the effectivity ranking, the extra electrical energy your roof will generate. The common photo voltaic shingle effectivity ranking is round 19 to twenty%. However it’s decrease than among the best photo voltaic panels available on the market.
Needless to say since photo voltaic shingles are put in as a part of your roof, they cannot be angled like photo voltaic panels, which could be adjusted for optimum solar publicity.
“You possibly can’t put them on a selected axis, so that you may not get most effectivity,” Howard mentioned. “From what I’ve seen, the photo voltaic shingle effectivity is lower than a typical photo voltaic panel. So from a efficiency standpoint, you are not getting extra by way of PV output and the quantity of renewable vitality you are in a position to generate.”
Wattage per sq. foot
Each photo voltaic shingle comes with a wattage ranking, which is the quantity of energy it could actually output below ideally suited circumstances. Your photo voltaic roof’s wattage performs an vital position in how a lot energy you may be able to producing. However what you may actually need to search for is a shingle’s wattage per sq. foot. This measures how a lot energy you have got inside a given quantity of area.
The upper a photo voltaic shingle’s wattage per sq. foot, the much less area it should take up in your roof. Relying on the price of the particular shingle model, this may lower your expenses since you’ll be putting in fewer photo voltaic shingles to fulfill your vitality wants.
“What you’d need to know is the equal quantity per sq. foot which you can get,” mentioned Howard. “As a result of you probably have the next wattage per sq. foot, then that is a greater shingle by way of energy output.”
Are photo voltaic shingles higher than photo voltaic panels?
That are higher, photo voltaic shingles or photo voltaic panels? It is actually as much as you and your private preferences. Photo voltaic shingles are a distinct segment know-how with very restricted availability. So it is difficult to check them straight in opposition to conventional rooftop photo voltaic panels. Each have similarities, however they’re nonetheless two various kinds of PV methods. Consider photo voltaic shingles as an various technique to set up photo voltaic in your roof.
“Photo voltaic shingles, as an alternative choice for constructing built-in photovoltaics, is an efficient factor,” mentioned Howard. “It is a private alternative about your values of design versus efficiency. I would not need to put them in opposition to one another and say that one is best than the opposite, in a holistic sense.”
There are specific conditions the place photo voltaic panels may make extra sense for you than photo voltaic shingles, and vice versa. If it’s essential to substitute your roof earlier than putting in photo voltaic, desire a extra refined method to photo voltaic and there is a photo voltaic roof installer in your space, then photo voltaic shingles may be a sensible choice. Photo voltaic shingles may be extra more likely to be accepted by your owners affiliation too. Nonetheless, some states have legal guidelines in place that forestall HOAs from banning photo voltaic panels.
In the event you do not thoughts the look of photo voltaic panels in your roof and you are not changing your roof anyway, conventional rooftop photo voltaic panels may be a greater match. Simply understand that photo voltaic is a private alternative, and the battle between photo voltaic panels and photo voltaic shingles actually simply comes down to non-public desire and price range.
Professionals and cons of photo voltaic shingles
Professionals:
- A handy choice if you happen to want a roof substitute to put in photo voltaic panels.
- Climate-resistant.
- A extra discreet technique to set up photo voltaic on your private home.
- Trendy and modern roof design.
Cons:
- Restricted availability.
- Might be much less environment friendly than some photo voltaic panels.
- Cannot be angled.
- Will possible value greater than photo voltaic panels.
How a lot do photo voltaic shingles value?
Photo voltaic shingles are a distinct segment product and aren’t practically as extensively put in (or accessible) as common photo voltaic panels. This makes discovering dependable pricing knowledge difficult. If you buy photo voltaic shingles, you are additionally possible paying for a complete roof substitute.
Whereas pricing knowledge for many photo voltaic shingle producers is unavailable, we can use Tesla Photo voltaic Roof estimates from Tesla’s on-line estimator to not less than get an thought of how a lot a Tesla Photo voltaic Roof would value. The final consensus is {that a} photo voltaic roof prices extra than simply putting in photo voltaic panels. We discovered this to not less than be true for the Tesla Photo voltaic Roof. And it is in all probability not the best choice if you happen to’re on the lookout for low-cost photo voltaic.
Tesla estimated a value of $168,400 for a 12.5kW photo voltaic roof system and a Tesla Powerwall battery for a house in Dallas. The Tesla estimated value of an everyday 12kW photo voltaic panel system and a Powerwall on the similar location is $26,966.
Pricing for the Tesla Photo voltaic Roof is an estimate primarily based in your tackle, common electrical invoice and the sq. footage of your roof. Tesla additionally requires the acquisition of not less than certainly one of its batteries, the Tesla Powerwall, per photo voltaic roof. A Tesla Powerwall will value you a further $9,500 or extra.
However these costs needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Similar to with photo voltaic panels, everybody’s photo voltaic roof estimates are going to differ relying in your vitality wants, location and different elements. One of the simplest ways to get an correct value estimate for any photo voltaic shingle or panel system is to speak to an installer in your space. If in case you have a number of installers in your space, make certain to check costs.
How we evaluated the perfect photo voltaic shingles
CNET has not carried out any type of hands-on testing with these merchandise. Photo voltaic shingles are a part of a posh PV system that’s built-in into the roof of a home or construction. This makes hand-on testing troublesome. As a substitute, we took the commonest photo voltaic shingle manufacturers available on the market, and made comparisons between them to search out the best choice. It is also vital to notice the restricted availability of photo voltaic roof merchandise, making selections for this record restricted as nicely. This is how we scored the perfect photo voltaic shingles.
First, we decided what classes we might use to guage every photo voltaic shingle. Every class was given a weight reflecting how vital we felt it was to the typical shopper. After inspecting knowledge offered by producers and talking with subject material specialists (who didn’t affect the alternatives that had been made for this record), these had been the classes we selected to guage every photo voltaic shingle model on.
- Product guarantee: 20%
- Wind/weatherization guarantee: 15%
- Energy output/efficiency guarantee: 20%
- Wind ranking: 10%
- Shingle effectivity: 15%
- Shingle wattage per sq. foot: 20%
We checked out 5 of the most well-liked photo voltaic shingle suppliers available on the market, collected the info for every class and in contrast the numbers. Every class (for each photo voltaic shingle) was given a tier-style ranking to guage which facets of every photo voltaic shingle had been above common (amongst our record), simply common or under common.
Photo voltaic shingle FAQs
How lengthy do photo voltaic shingles final?
The longevity of your photo voltaic roof is dependent upon the producer and the installer. However most photo voltaic roofs are designed to final between 20 and 30 years. That is comparable with conventional photo voltaic panels, which generally final 25 years or extra. You also needs to verify photo voltaic shingle warranties. In case your photo voltaic roof is warranted for 25 years, that is a great signal. Most photo voltaic shingle product warranties that we discovered lasted not less than 25 years. Nonetheless, there have been some that solely coated 5 or 10 years.
Can photo voltaic shingles trigger leaks?
Sure, if not put in correctly. You will need to choose an installer that has a confirmed observe file of putting in photo voltaic on the kind of dwelling you are in and the kind of roof you have got. If the job is finished proper, you should not have to fret about leaks. Some photo voltaic shingle producers embrace water injury of their product or weatherization guarantee. GAF Vitality particularly guarantees fewer leaks than others.
What number of photo voltaic shingles do you want?
You will want as many photo voltaic shingles because it takes to fulfill your private home’s vitality wants. Your installer will assist conduct an vitality audit to find out what number of photo voltaic shingles you may want. Needless to say not each photo voltaic shingle available on the market has the identical wattage (or energy output), and conventional photo voltaic panels supply a considerably greater wattage than a person photo voltaic shingle.
