Most homes in the U.S. are suitable for solar panels
When you first start exploring solar energy, a lot of questions come up, and we’ve heard them all. Is my house a good candidate for solar? Will my roof support solar panels? Do I even get enough sunshine where I live to power my home with clean energy?
The truth is that the vast majority of homes in the U.S. are perfectly suitable for solar panels, and solar installers are accustomed to working with a variety of homes to help families transition to this affordable and abundant energy source.
In this article, we’ll go over the basics. First, we’ll look at how solar installers work with different types of roofing materials, then we’ll review a quick way to see if you get enough sun in your location, and finally, we’ll provide some essential tips for starting your solar journey. This should give you a good start, and we’ve provided plenty of links to click through to get more details on the topics before you reach out to a solar installer.
In this article:
- Roof considerations for solar installation
- Geographic and environmental factors
- Energy consumption and financial implications
- Next steps toward solar installation
- Frequently asked questions
Roof considerations for solar installation
Your roof plays a central role in how well solar panels will perform. When you’re considering installing solar panels, you’ll want to think about your roof and what’s around it. The materials, angle, and age of your roof all factor into how well-suited your home is for solar. Plus, the surrounding trees, buildings, and rooftop structures that create shade can affect how much solar energy your rooftop system can generate.
Roof materials
The materials on your roof matter when it comes to installing rooftop solar panels, and fortunately, most common materials are suitable for solar. However, installers will take extra precautions with certain materials to ensure that the panels are secure and your roof remains leak-proof.
In general, asphalt-shingled roofs and metal roofs are the best roofing material options for solar. They’re relatively easy for installers to work with and provide a solid, durable foundation for solar panels. They’ll drill through these materials into studs to secure racking to the roof, covering it with flashing to ensure your roof is watertight.
Installers can also work with clay or slate tiles, wood shingles like cedar shakes, and similar roofing materials, but they might take extra precautions, which could increase the cost of installation. For example, they might remove clay tiles at key points of contact rather than drilling through them (which could result in tile breakage) and then tuck flashing between tiles to keep the roof waterproof.
Solar panels can also be installed on concrete and rubber roofs. In short, installers have methods for installing solar on a variety of materials and surfaces, but the cost of installation can vary. If you have a unique roof, it’s best to get quotes from multiple installers to better understand your situation.
Roof age and condition
A roof needs to be in good condition before solar panels can be installed on it. The roof needs to be leak-proof and structurally sound to withstand the weight of the solar panels. Check the outside of the roof (from the ground) for signs of structural instability, like sagging, and look for shingles that are curled, cracked, or missing, as sturdy shingles are required for solar panel installation. From the attic, look for signs of leaks such as water stains and mold.
Solar panels last 30–35 years, while most asphalt shingle roofs last about 20. If your roof will need replacing soon, it’s best to do it before installing solar to avoid the cost and hassle of removing and reinstalling panels later. When replacing a roof, a crew of solar technicians will need to remove your solar panels anyway, so doing both at the same time can save you time and money. In fact, the Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office reports that because solar installers and roofing companies often have partnerships, they can offer discounts when you’re investing in solar and a new roof at the same time.
Roof angle and orientation
Your roof’s angle and orientation are factors that can influence how much energy your solar panels can generate, as is shading on your roof from nearby buildings, structures like chimneys, or vegetation.
Solar panels typically perform best on south-facing roofs with a slope in the 15-45 degree range in the U.S., according to the Department of Energy. But don’t despair if your home doesn’t have this ideal scenario. Your home doesn’t have to be perfectly sited with a broad south-facing roof to take advantage of solar energy.
East- and west-facing rooftops can also be used for your solar system — they’ll just produce less energy. Since each home is different, it’s best to consult with a solar professional to better understand your situation.
It might seem like having a flat roof would present a problem. Fortunately, with flat roofs, solar installers use a racking system that elevates and tilts the solar panels at an angle that maximizes direct sunlight.
Large trees creating shade on your home are great at reducing summertime air conditioning costs, but having too much shade can prevent rooftop solar panels from powering your home. Tree removal and landscaping can be a big expense, so it’s vital to get an assessment from a solar professional to understand your situation.
Geographic and environmental factors
Where you live can play a role in how much energy a solar system can generate for your household. But chances are good that your location and your home are a good fit: A study of U.S. rooftops found that 82% of small buildings — such as homes under 5,000 square feet — are suitable for solar.
The amount of sun exposure your home gets is a factor in determining how a solar system should be designed to generate enough electricity to run your home. If you’re curious whether your region gets enough sun to power your solar system, you can try the quick and easy tools below to get a sense of the annual solar irradiance and power output where you live.
Sunlight exposure
Solar panels need sunlight to operate. Light hitting the photovoltaic cells in a solar panel generates electricity, and direct light maximizes output. Solar panels can still produce some electricity from indirect light, but the output is less. What’s more, some solar systems are set up in a way that lets shading on one panel affect the power output of the entire system!
Tools like Google’s Project Sunroof, which uses Google Earth data, can show you how much you’ll save with a solar system based on the power output for your building. All you need is your address to try it yourself.
Climate considerations
Solar irradiance matters: The more direct sunlight you get, the more electricity you’ll get from your solar panels. However, solar panels can still generate some electricity under cloud cover, and occasional rain might even improve their performance by washing off dust and debris. That said, local weather conditions can have a big effect on how much solar energy you can generate and how many solar panels you need to install to meet your power needs.
One easy way to check the available solar energy at your location is to enter your address into the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s PVWatts calculator. PVWatts uses historical weather data, your latitude, and other information to create a quick estimate of how many kilowatt hours per year you can get at your home, along with a monthly breakdown. The calculator works with minimal info on your part, but if you have more details, such as your roof angle and your electricity consumption from your utility bill, you can add them to get a more specific estimate.
Energy consumption and financial implications
Even if you get plenty of sun where you live, a new home solar system has to make sense financially. Understanding your current energy usage and the financial incentives available for solar can help you perform a cost-benefit analysis to make your decision easier.
Utility bills and energy usage
Getting a firm grasp on your household’s energy consumption will help you and your installer design a solar system that meets your needs. If you’re wondering how many watts it takes to run your house, the best place to start is your utility bills. Checking them over the past year will give you a window into your seasonal variations in energy use, and your electric bill should give you a sense of how much energy you’re using.
As you’re conducting your cost-benefit analysis for solar, you’ll also want to consider any peak use or time-of-use (TOU) hours on your utility bill. A solar plus storage system can offset TOU costs by letting you power your home during peak hours via the battery your solar panels charged earlier in the day.
Aurora’s guide to calculating how many watts it takes to run your house includes estimates on wattage for major appliances, but don’t forget to factor in other uses as well. For example, if you plan to buy an electric vehicle in the next few years, you’ll want to factor in EV charging.
Incentives and rebates
Depending on where you live, you may be eligible for a variety of tax credits, rebates, renewable energy credits, and other incentives for installing solar. Solar incentives can bring the initial cost of purchase and installation down, and also offer long-term financial benefits.
The federal tax credit for residential solar is phasing out. Congress voted to end the tax credit early, at the end of 2025 — so there’s never been a better time to install solar, so long as you can get it done by the end of the year. Learn more about the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit and the Residential Clean Energy Credit from the IRS.
You may also be eligible for state rebates, tax breaks, or renewable energy credits, or RECs. The Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency can help you find solar incentive programs where you live.
For most of these financial incentives, you’ll need to own your solar panels rather than leasing them.
Next steps toward solar installation
Though Project Sunroof and PVWatts are great tools for getting a general sense of whether your house is a good candidate for solar, they’re no substitute for a professional assessment. Aurora lets you quickly find local certified solar installers, compare their quotes, and explore solar financing options. Certified installers will evaluate your roof, sun exposure, and whether solar can meet all of your electricity needs.
These certified installers should be familiar with local city, county, and state building codes, permitting, and other governance around solar and solar plus battery systems. While permitting and interconnection delays are common in some parts of the country, others have fast-tracked these processes. It’s a good idea to ask installers questions about any building code or permitting codes they expect for your project and what issues they’ve faced working in your area. You’ll also want to check with your homeowner’s association, if you have one, to learn more about its guidelines for solar systems.
Switching to solar is a big step toward energy independence and long-term savings, but making sure your home is ready is key. Ready to take the next step? Get a personalized solar quote today and see how solar can work for your home.
Frequently asked questions
How do you know if your house is good for solar?
We go in depth on this in this whole article, but here is a quick list of what to consider:
- The age of your roof and the materials
- Access to direct sunlight
- Surrounding shade
- Financial incentives where you live (local, state and federal)
Is my house in a good location for solar?
Probably! A national study of buildings found that 82% of small buildings — such as homes — across the country had rooftops suitable for solar energy.
Are solar panels worth the investment in less sunny regions?
They can be, yes. Solar panels have the greatest output when they’re getting direct sunlight, but they can still generate enough electricity to power your home in less sunny regions. You can run a quick check of your location’s potential power output at Google’s Project Sunroof.
