Solar Panel Roof Compatibility Calculator

Assess your roof suitability for solar panels based on age, orientation, pitch, shading, and available area.

Usable Roof Area for Panels (sq ft)

Roof Age (years)

Roof Material

Roof Orientation

Roof Pitch (rise per 12)

Shade Coverage (%)

Results

Visualization

How It Works

Before installing solar panels, your roof should have at least 10-15 years of life remaining — panels last 25-30 years, and removing them for a roof replacement adds $1,500-3,000. South-facing roofs produce the most energy; east/west produce about 75%. Standing seam metal roofs are ideal because panels clamp to seams without any roof penetrations. On asphalt shingles, lag bolts with flashing boots create weatherproof mounting points. Tile and slate require special hooks and careful handling. Shade from trees or neighboring buildings is the biggest efficiency killer — even partial shade on one panel can reduce the entire string output due to how panels are wired in series.