Anyone here tried those new roof shingles that act like solar panels?

[Coventina]

I think it's maybe a Tesla product?

My roof is about 15 years overdue to be redone.
I don't know how I would afford it, but the investment might be worth it in the long run, if the system really works.

If anyone has experience with this, I'd love to hear your recommendation, aye or nay.

[hlthe2b]

1. No experience whatsoever, but I have looked at their website...

I'd need to know a lot more about how they hold up to hail and heavy snow (though they are supposedly stronger than standard roofs).

I recall seeing a show on tiny houses where they were used some time ago. Sounded ideal.

https://www.tesla.com/solarroof

[Coventina]

3. Thanks! Good point about the elements.

I live in Phoenix, so it seems ideal, but we do get whopping big storms from time to time.

(As I know since my roof leaks like a sieve now, to the point I'm terrified my homeowner's insurance will drop me).

[StarryNite]

23. Hey neighbor!

Not only those wicked haboobs but we even occasionally get tornadoes...like Thursday night! But when it comes to solar Phoenix has got to be one of the prime locations.

[Coventina]

25. Yes, I feel really guilty that I don't have solar already.

But it is a cash outlay that I've never been able to make.

However, I just can't put off the roofing any longer. It's getting to be a bit ridiculous!

Hiya neighbor!

I have to confess, I've been loving the recent weather.
I've been pretty lucky, so far.
I've had rain & wind, but not like some areas!!

[StarryNite]

28. I absolutely love this weather!

My husband is already ready for summer. LOL

We don't have solar either except for a couple of tiny solar panels we take camping.

[dware]

2. Never heard of these until now,

but if they're energy saving, reliable, then that's a good thing right?

I live in a motor home when I'm not on the road, my home is powered by solar panels, which saves me a ton of money.

I would call the manufacturer and get all the info I could, read all the reviews so you could make an informed decision.

Other than that, have a great Saturday.

[Coventina]

4. Yeah, the reason I ask, is that I got a tankless water heater

because it sounded like a wonderful, cost-saving thing.

Sadly, the practical experience has been a massive headache.
The water around here is liquid rock, and constantly clogs up the mechanisms.

I have to replace the darn thing about every 18 months or so.
And of course, the warranty doesn't cover hard water!

[dware]

7. I know exactly what you mean with the water,

I have a residence in Buckeye, the water here is the same as where you live, I've had to replace some of the piping in my motor home due to clogging, what a nightmare that was.

Anyway, good luck on your quest to find out if those shingles are worth the price.

[mr_lebowski]

15. Could a water softener type dealie fix that?

In theory I'd think it would, but then that's another big expense outlay plus maintenance and materials, so maybe throwing good money after bad.

They are pretty nice to have though for lots of reasons on top of not wrecking your water heater though from what I've seen.

Also, hi Coventina

[Coventina]

19. Hi Mr. L!

The tankless people did suggest a water softener, when I started having problems with the tankless.

I've thought about it, but haven't decided on making that commitment yet.

I like the idea of less hard water, but to me, softened water tastes even worse than hard water.

[mr_lebowski]

22. I believe you typically get an RO system for the drinking water installed at kitchen sink ...

When you get a water softener for the house.

Not really advocating for it as I've not researched everything about them, and I know they're pretty costly ... but ... just thought I'd throw it out. Figured you'd already considered but just in case.

[Coventina]

26. Ah! that makes sense.

Don't know why I didn't realize that.



The relatives I visited with a water softener obviously didn't invest in the RO.

[shanti]

36. Thanks for the hard water tip!

I was considering one of these tankless water heaters, but you've changed my mind. My water is very hard here in Sacramento. It leaves a calcium film on EVERYTHING. I knew they were pricey, but now that I know that they are more trouble than they're worth, I'll pass it by.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

5. How do they act like solar panels?

Do they actually generate electricity that you use?

I got solar panels last summer, and am very glad I did. I may never fully recoup the cost myself, but I like how low my electric bill now is.

[Coventina]

6. Yes, they generate electricity to power your home.

They look like roof shingles, but act like solar panels.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

17. How expensive are they?

Getting regular solar panels was interesting. Among other things, they couldn't be turned on fully until the local electric company and come out and made sure everything was correct. Which was not a problem.

Since last July my electric bill has been $8.20 per month, which is essentially what the power company charges to stay hooked up. Looks like this month I will generate a bit less electricity than I normally use, but since I should have a credit coming from the excess generated earlier in the year, my bill should not be more than that.

Before my electric bill was about $50/month. Not that high, but I'm quite happy with getting the solar.

[cally]

8. No but I did a lot of research on them and decided against them

I don't think they are ready for household use yet. If I remember, there were problems with them for houses. Don't remember details but do lots of research first. I instead got ones that reduce inside temperature by 10 to 15 degrees in summer. I'm very happy with that decision and I got a rebate at the time.

[Coventina]

10. Thanks! I will do so, and look into the product you mentioned!

Anything to reduce the Phoenix summer heat!!!

[dware]

12. If you decide to replace your roof with standard shingles,

make sure you use Oakridge 3 tab 30 year shingles, they are much more reliable, are rated to withstand winds up to 100 mph and do reduce the temp inside the house by as much as 10-15 degrees during summer.

The 20 year shingles are cheaper, but they don't last as long and have a tendency to come off with any strong wind.

Hope this helps.

[Coventina]

13. Yes! Thanks! n/t

[at140]

14. Invest blow in insulation or rolls in attic

My newer house had no insulation over garage attic. I bought rolls of insulation and laid them down in the attic over garage and it has made the garage significantly cooler in hot Florida summers. So getting in the parked car is more comfortable. And every time I open the access door to garage from house (many times a day since lots of stuff is stored in garage), the heat from garage flows into the house.

[Coventina]

16. I did the blow in insulation in my attic. It does help a lot!!

My garage doesn't have an attic, though.

[mackdaddy]

9. I do not have any experience with Tesla but you should be cautious, I think.

There have been some reports of the roof panels causing fires because of the way they are connected electrically. I suggest googling that.

I am all for solar (I have a 10kw grid tied system), but I would just go with a regular roof replacement, and then the "traditional" solar panels over that. Future maintenance and replacement may be easier, at least at this point.
The Tesla systems were more expensive than the standard panels + standard roofing. Have not checked prices recently though.

I would just keep asking questions like you are doing. This is a big investment, but one that can pay you back over time.

[Coventina]

11. Yikes! Thanks for the tip!

Scary!!

[packman]

18. Double that be cautious tip

I read somewhere, when I was interested in those tiles, that the tech is still too new to have any guarantees given as to cost effectiveness, wearability, weight on rafters, wind resistance, etc., etc. I would REALLY, REALLY look into it before investing. The tried and true solar panels should be considered.

Have you thought about geo-cooling/heating? They have it simplified now where it requires a rather modest hole in the ground with plastic looping feeding into a thermal unit into the house Might be a consideration. "This Old House" had a show on it recently.

[Coventina]

20. Good to know! Thanks!! n/t

[Disaffected]

21. You can view solar panels

Last edited Sat Nov 30, 2019, 12:53 PM - Edit history (1)

from two main view points: Environmental and Economic

From an environmental viewpoint, they are typically beneficial as the energy they will generate over their life-span will exceed that required to manufacture and maintain them. From an economic viewpoint however, the economics depends heavily on how much you pay the utility for power and, what amount of credit they give you for the power your cells generate. Gov't rebates can also significantly reduce the installation costs if available. The bottom line is usually expressed in "payout time" i.e. how long does it take the savings to exceed the cost. The Tesla panels cost more than conventional panels but you will gain a significant $ benefit is your roof needs redoing which may make up for the difference.

In a lot of areas (including mine) the economics don't make much sense (payout times in the 30 to 40 year range for power that costs about 12 cents per kilowatt-hour and no government incentives available). The end effect is that I personally would be better off financially putting the installation cost into a monetary investment of some sort. And, keep in mind that solar cells have a finite life (they are usually guaranteed for about 25 years although they may well last longer). In any case, you have a depreciating asset and the cells will have to be replaced at some point so that must be taken into the cost/benefit analysis.

I would be sure to ask your vendor of the hardware to provide a meaningful economic analysis for your particular situation before making any decisions.

[Coventina]

24. Thanks, this is very helpful! n/t

[NickB79]

33. Payoff time of 30-40 years? You sure about that number?

I have several friends with 5-8 kw systems that love them, and I have gotten quotes for my own system (7.9 kw). Payoff time here after state and federal subsidies is 8-9 yr, on panels warrantied for 30 yr. The only upkeep is a new invertor every decade or so, which typically runs $1000.

And I'm in Minnesota, not exactly the most solar-friendly state with our long winter's.

Now, if you want a full off-grid system, payoff time gets worse and battery replacements come into play, but even then you don't see 30 yr before break-even.

[Disaffected]

40. Yeah, but now more like 30 years here in Calgary, Alberta,

given that the cost of solar cells has dropped substantially over a few years ago:

Assume: $3/Watt for installed cells plus grid-tie inverter, wiring, permits, design etc (local quoted price range),
7 cents per KW-hour payback from utility (local wholesale electricity cost + other charges)
No gov't incentives/rebates (had some here before but now cancelled).
System size = 5 KWs.
Effective solar insolance = 4 hours/day (will be a bit higher at lower latitudes).

$3 * 5 KW = $15,000 install cost.
5 KW * $0.07 $/KWh * 4 hours sun/day = $1.40 per day payback.

$15,000 / ($1.40 per day * 365) = 29 years.

So, here at least, most of the high payout time comes from the low wholesale cost of electricity and no gov't rebates. In some locals the cost of electricity is much higher and substantial rebates are available so solar makes sense.

If the inverter has to be replaced every 10 years @ $1,000 (over 30 years), the payout becomes 35 years. And, assuming a 30 year warranty/life span, you will have to shell out another $18,000 for the next 30 year period. Financially speaking, one would be much better off by placing the initial $18,000 in a secure investment.

[StarryNite]

27. APS

If you go with a 'regular' kind of roof but are still thinking of solar panels, APS has some programs that sound very interesting. You get a deal on the power and they get the extra energy that you generate. Or something like that. LOL I just heard about it from our son-in-law and don't really have the particulars on it.

[marybourg]

29. They offered me $30/month to allow them

to install some unspecified number of solar panels on my roof for 20 years. I ignored them.

[NickB79]

32. Was that on top of free electricity for your home?

Because if so, that's not a bad deal if you aren't looking for off-grid systems.

[marybourg]

35. No, no free electricity.

[StarryNite]

39. How long ago was that?

[stopbush]

30. Yes. They're good with salsa and sour cream.

[NickB79]

31. Current Tesla shingles are cost-comparable to slate tiles, not asphalt

IE several times more expensive. Tesla claims they have new, lower-cost shingles coming out, but they aren't on the market yet.

Unless you aren't planning on acting for a few years, it's likely cheaper to replace your roof with conventional shingles and put up conventional solar panels now. That's my plan if my wind damage claim goes through with insurance.

Also remember: without a battery backup like a PowerBank, your panels won't do you any good if you lose power.

[in2herbs]

34. There's some well-informed responses here on DU to your question. I live in AZ and was surprised to

learn that solar is not as efficient in the summer in AZ because of the heat. When we were looking into solar the one thing we didn't want was roof top solar because you have to hire the solar installers to un-install the solar when your roof needs replacing and then re-hire the solar installers to install it back on the roof. We went with an on-the-ground installation that tracks the sun. It is pricier than rooftop and there was no state, federal or APS credit to help with the cost. They have ground installations that don't track the sun and are not as expensive. IMO you save the most money in electric costs by installing more panels than you expect to need/use. In that way you are generating more electricity and sending more solar power back to the grid than you use and this makes for more "profit" on your end. Since the installation of our solar about 8 years ago our electric bill has gone from $400+/month to about $35/month and we have 3 ACs. Recently, one of our panels was broken by some unidentifiable projectile and the cost to replace was $500. When there comes a time when all panels wear out and have to be replaced we estimate the cost will be about $15,000+ because of the number of panels we have. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Just remember if/when APS goes out so will your solar unless you have a back up system (BUCS), and if you have that when APS goes down you will be totally off-grid enjoying your electricity when APS fails.

[StarryNite]

38. Interesting!

[csziggy]

37. When we built our house over ten years ago I looked into the Tesla roof system

As well as other solar roof top installations. At that time, the cost was too high to have a reasonable payoff so we put our money into the best insulation and tightest house structure we could. We built an ICF (insulated concrete form) house with a metal roof (50 year guarantee) and spray in insulation in the rafters.

The house is so well insulated when our air handling system conks out, it takes a day or two for us to notice since the house takes so long to change temperature. Usually I notice an increase in the humidity before the temperature gets uncomfortable.

We did put in a solar water heater, which is extremely efficient. The system has an interior water tank with standard heat elements so in the winter or in cloudy weather, the water temperature is held constant. We moved in during the spring and the installer recommended turning off the circuit breaker for the heating elements over the summer and we've never turned it on. Only a few times, during extremely cold spells (which doesn't happen often here in North Florida) have we noticed that the hot water is not hot enough.

Since the last several years with hurricanes and tropical storms coming through I checked back into solar electric systems to power the house when the grid is down and was told that they still are not cost effective. So this year I am putting in a propane powered whole house generator. I'm getting too old to deal with no power at all and cannot rely on my husband or someone else to drag out a portable generator to provide power.

We had three years in a row where the power was out area wide for over four days - and longer on our farm. I was lucky enough that friends lent me a generator and got me set up But I don't want to add to their burdens for future storms.