In a simple answer yes, but many solar PV installers shy away from installing solar panels on slate roofs as they are more difficult and time-consuming to install. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t have them.
What is most important is whether your roof is suitable in terms of orientation, size and shading. If it meets these requirements then you just need an experienced installer with the skills to do the installation.
Why are slate roofs harder to install Solar Panels on?
Slate roofs are harder to work on and many people often believe the tiles are more likely to break. This isn’t true if your installer knows what they are doing and have the right tools and techniques to do the job.
When solar panels are installed on a non-slate roof, the installer lifts the roof tile to fix a bracket into a rafter and then replaces the tile with minimal disruption to the roof. With slate tiles, this method is more complicated because it’s not possible to remove a single tile and then fix it back in place, as the slate tiles are heavier and have a more considerable overlap. Furthermore, because slate tiles are more brittle they won’t sit on top of the bracket without the risk of breaking. The solution for fitting solar panels to a slate roof is to cut the tile to fit around the mounting bracket.
How to install Solar Panels on slate roofs
Firstly, several tiles will need to be removed where the bracket needs to be fitted to a rafter. This will be done across the roof in several places where the brackets are needed.
The brackets will then be fitted to the rafters securely. It is best practice to fix flashing (a thin layer of metal) under the brackets to aid the waterproofing of the roof.
The tiles will then be measured against the brackets to work out where they need cutting to fit the roof. These will then be cut using specialist tools with great care to prevent them from being broken.
Once the tiles have been replaced the rails for the solar panels can be fitted to the brackets and the solar panels mounted onto the rails. This will then be connected to an inverter and your household electricity supply.
This method is a great solution for slate roofs but it does add to the installation time and requires the installer to have the skills and tools to cut the slate tiles. Many installers won’t even consider taking on an installation on a slate roof because of this as it eats into their time or they don’t have the skill sets needed. At SolarTherm UK we pride ourselves on installing solar panels on any roof possible and helping every household to have solar panels when it is feasible. Our highly skilled and experienced teams have worked on many different roof types including slate roofs. If you have a slate roof and are interested in installing solar panels, contact us to find out more or complete our solar panel calculator for a estimate of the cost of installation and the potential savings. Interested in receiving a fully tailored quotation? Complete our online quote form and we can build you a custom design and savings projection.
