Do you replace a roof if you're putting panels down and that part of the roof is fine (essentially I see panels on the roof as replacement roofing - am I wrong in that?)
Hi @dannyboy, as Iridium (@ana) said, traditional solar panels do not substitute for roofing. Panels need to be installed on a racking system, which would then need to be removed for roof repairs or replacement. You need to determine which parts of your roof are best suited for solar, with minimal shadowing from trees or other buildings, and with consideration of structures such as chimneys or skylights that could interfere with placement. If the best areas of the roof need to be replaced anyway, you can consider whether a solar shingle roofing system would be worthwhile.
@dannyboy I'm not sure where you are, but my mom put solar panels on her house (in CA, and it's small, only 1280 sqft), and hasn't paid more than (this is not a joke) $35 per year for electricity since they were turned on. The panels produce well more than we use, and the excess is sold back to utility company through the grid. We get a statement each month telling us where we are in terms of billing/credits, and then in October, we get a "true-up" bill, which usually runs about - as I said - $35. The whole setup including installation, a 30-year warranty, and free removal/replacement in case of roof repairs or re-roofing was $24,600 all in. Her plan is to also eventually install the power-wall system with two large batteries, which would essentially mean we would be completely off-grid and that the electric utility would have to send us a check every month for the power we produce.
We just replaced our roof this summer. While we had no roof leaks from the ceiling, the roof was causing window leaks by the patio cover and a leak by the chimney. We have a tile roof and it was 26 years old. We did it just in time.
I am considering a solar paneled roof now but reroofing was a must before I would even contemplate solar. I agree it would be a wad of wasted money to have to redo the solar because of a bad roof.
@dannyboy I am so glad you started getting so down to the cost estimates. We are in the same situation. Have to redo a few things if we are going to stay here. We did $$$ water containment work in the basement crawl spaces, including a pump - (very old house). Next will come resanding the floors, then replacing kitchen laminate, AND THEN solar panels. I hope your $40,000 guestimate is high because that ain't gonna happen for us. Yesterday I was looking at the part of the roof where solar would go and thinking, better do the roof first.
@coyote-2 Hi Coyote-2, there's a two or three-post waiting period before the software allows the posts to just go through without moderation and with links intact. It's part of the computer software. So just keep posting and all will go through. I'd love to see that link.
@dannyboy @iradium Does anyone have experience with converting gas powered hot water heating system in an old house with forced hot water radiators to heat pumps? I've read about systems in place for this conversation. But it's not straight forward. https://www.isoenergy.co.uk/latest-news/isoenergy-news/can-you-use-existing-radiators-with-a-heat-pump
@jeanne-mayell our water heater is electric so that’s a no from me.
update on the rest of it: had a long chat with the wife yesterday. We’ve decided to do new floors and countertops in the kitchen, fix a few noticeable issues in the house and try to put it on the market in the next two years or so. I’m bummed because I love the land but she’s right - there’s so much work to be done on this house we’ll never be able to retire unless we try something new.
an option is to rebuild or gut the current place but I’m afraid that’s probably going to cost more than buying a different house.
Yesterday I read a news story that researchers at Perdue University have come up with a white paint that has the potential to greatly reduce the need for air conditioning when applied to roofs. I don't have links for the article but the story should be searchable. It didn't say when this new paint would be available to the public but a major paint producer/distributor is working with them. Hopefully we will hear more and more stories about new technologies. White roofs might not work for everyone but it may be a more affordable option in some applications.
A total electric early 70's stepless ranch here in the Deep South. A mere 1096 square feet, 3 bedroom, 1 bath. I would love to get solar roof power! Sadly.. way above my paygrade as a senior... heck even before retiring as a single mom who raised her kids on her own.
@jeanne-mayell My old house never had radiators (in fact it had no central heating system), so I have no experience with this. I did look at the article, plus a couple others.... It seems that yes, you can use a heat pump to supply hot water for a radiator but it will take a lot of energy to get the water as hot as a boiler would get it. So you'd be using a lot of electricity to get the job done, especially in the New England winters. I do not know if this would be cost-effective. You'd need to consult with a contractor or perhaps your utility company to run the numbers.
Instead of using the radiators, you might spend less money in the long run if you used a heat pump with forced air and retrofitted your house with mini-ducts to distribute the air (see https://www.thisoldhouse.com/heating-cooling/21015938/retrofit-air-conditioning-using-mini-ducts). Mini-ductwork is usually better for a retrofit than standard-size ductwork because it will fit in the existing stud spaces in the walls , meaning you won't have to tear up your walls. (That said, if you have lots of room in your attic and/or basement, putting in standard ductwork may not be difficult--- I have a huge attic and very high crawlspace under my house so we had room to put a set of standard ducts in the attic to supply the second floor via ceiling vents, and another set under the house which supplies the first floor via floor vents. Each floor has its own heat pump. )