Are you considering switching to solar energy for your home? It’s an excellent option for the planet, your family, and your pocketbook! However, you may be wondering, “which direction should my house face for solar panels?” You may have heard the buzz about south-facing roofs for solar panels, but is that the only way to make solar work for you? (Spoiler alert: No!). In this guide, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about where to place solar panels on your house for optimal energy production and cost savings.
Ideal House Direction For Solar Panels
The position of your solar panels has a huge impact on your panel’s output, which directly affects its cost-effectiveness and energy savings. While you don’t have to be a solar expert to get the most out of your panels (that’s our job!), it is important to understand the basics of how solar panels work and the factors that impact the direction in which you place solar panels on your home. This basic understanding can help you increase your energy efficiency and maximize your investment.
It’s important to note that all roofs can work when it comes to solar powered energy – but there are definitely ideal house directions that capture the most (and best) of the sun’s energy. It all depends on where you’re located and where the sun tracks in relation to your home.
South-Facing Roofs
Here in the northern hemisphere and throughout the United States, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Therefore, the most direct sunlight throughout the day comes from the south, making south-facing roofs the most optimal option for installing solar panels on homes. They capture the most sunlight throughout the day, especially in the winter when the sun is lower in the sky.
East or West-Facing Roofs
Just because south-facing roofs are the most ideal, that doesn’t mean you can’t get a great solar energy output from a roof facing a different direction.
If a south-facing roof isn’t an option for you, east and west-facing roofs also get ample sunlight in the morning, afternoon, and evening hours, so they can still generate significant amounts of solar energy.
Understanding how solar panels work doesn’t have to be complicated. Just think, with the sun rising in the east, an east-facing panel will generate more energy in the morning, making them beneficial for homes with peak energy usage in the AM hours. Think, a family that is often home in the morning. Maybe one parent works from home while the other is taking care of kids. The energy usage in the morning hours is likely pretty high.
With the sun setting in the west, west-facing panels produce more energy in the late afternoon, which would be great for families that use more energy in the afternoon and evening hours. This is beneficial for many working families who are gone most of the day and return in the late afternoon to play, cook, clean, and have family time together in the home.
Can Solar Panels Be Installed on a North-Facing Roof?
Theoretically, yes, solar panels can be installed on a north-facing roof. However, they would have to be placed at a very specific angle to capture the most solar energy possible since the sun is never pointing directly towards the north side of your home. Even then, it wouldn’t be as effective and would likely cost more to mount and angle the panels just right. With the amount of energy output you’d receive, it probably wouldn’t pencil.
Just think about how long it takes snow or ice to melt on the north side of your home. Now, imagine trying to run your entire home’s energy off of that limited amount of sunlight.
In full transparency, we most likely wouldn’t recommend installing solar panels on a north-facing roof.
Factors That Impact Where to Place Solar Panels
Aside from the amount of direct sunlight your home gets, there are several other key factors that impact the direction your house should face for solar panels.
Roof Pitch and Tilt
The direction of your roof isn’t the only thing that comes into play when determining the efficiency of your solar panels. The angle of your roof also plays a large role. A tilt angle that matches your location’s latitude is ideal. For us here in Denver, Colorado, the optimal roof tilt is around 40 degrees since we’re at a latitude of 39.7 degrees. Most roofs have a pitch between 30 and 40 degrees, so the panels can lie flush and generate a great energy output. If your roof pitch is steeper or shallower, modern mounting systems can help optimize angles for maximum sun exposure.
Shading
When it comes to solar panels, it’s no surprise that shade is not their best friend. You want to ensure that your solar panels aren’t shaded by trees, buildings, chimneys, or other obstacles. If even part of your solar panels are shaded, it impacts the entire system’s efficiency since they’re all tied together on the circuit. While adjustments can be made to minimize shading issues, if it’s going to be a permanent issue (such as a building that can’t be moved), it can have a big impact on your overall output.
Local Climate
Your local climate also impacts the overall energy efficiency of your solar panels. In regions with ample sunlight, east or west-facing panels can perform nearly as well as south-facing panels. However, if you’re in a climate that’s often cloudy, rainy, or is often overcast (especially more northern regions of the country), you’ll want to maximize your output with the ideal direction of a south-facing roof and solar panels.
Energy Usage Patterns
Your home’s energy usage patterns also should be taken into consideration when determining which direction your solar panels should face. If your afternoon energy demand is the highest (especially after work/school), you may get the most advantage from west-facing panels. If you work from home and use a bulk of energy in the morning and early afternoon hours, east-facing panels might be your best option.
Ground-Mounted Systems
If your roof simply isn’t suitable for solar panels and the cost to install and maintain them doesn’t pencil with the projected energy efficiency and cost-savings, all hope is not lost. If you have extra land around your home, a ground-mounted solar array can be positioned to face directly south for optimal sun exposure. While this is a viable option, there are some factors to consider. Ground-mounted systems are likely to be shaded by surrounding trees, buildings, or obstacles and are more easily damaged in weather.
Net Metering
In areas with net metering, the panel direction is less critical to nail down perfectly since excess energy can be sold back to the grid. This offsets costs and eliminates the pressure to have a perfectly placed roof in the ideal direction of the sun.
Ready to Go Solar?
To recap, south-facing roofs are ideal for maximizing solar energy production in most areas of the northern hemisphere. However, east or west-facing roofs are great alternatives (sometimes even better for some families and their energy needs).
Ground-mounted systems and net metering can be great solutions to ensure flexibility for various property layouts and energy needs.
If you’re looking for more tailored advice from a company that cares about you, the planet, your pocketbook, and the future, we’d love to partner with you. As your trusted solar professionals, we’ll help determine the ideal configuration for your home so you can get the best results.