Hi all, got an offer from the local council to have photovoltaics attached to our roof free. The roof is Welsh slate and is relatively new (2009); It cost quite a lot. One of my neighbours is also taking up this offer and the work has started. I asked the workman how they mount the photovoltaics and for a slate roof they just drill straight though the slates! This alarmed me somewhat. The surveyor is here on Monday (19th July) to assess the prcticalities of the installation. Any experience of this particular problem?
Not directly, but I would have expected them to remove a slate and put in a rafter fitting plus flashing. Although:
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that they need to remove 4-5 slates which makes the flashing rather larger and more expensive, with more risk of water ingress. And so drilling is cheaper and exposes less to the weather (although note comments about slate cracking).
Could you think about other alternatives? For example a frame structure that attaches to the gable ends with fewer attachments on the sloping face of the roof? Have a look around other mounting systems to get a feel for what's out there and what might be suitable (see eg Midsummer Wholesale for some example mounting systems)
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some more info.
What does 'free' mean, btw? Is this part of some subsidy scheme or is it some rent-a-roof where you're giving someone a lease to your roof and they collect the income (which is much reduced given the end of FIT). I'd be concerned that you aren't the end customer, and hence any corners that are cut are not to your benefit, but you take all the downsides.
I don't see any problem in drilling through slate. Obviously the hole would have to be sealed. The issue is what do they fix to under the slate? The fixing, the bolt (for want of a better word), and the panel above should be rigid to each other but not rigid to the slate.
It could. If the roof needs repairs that can only be done by removing the solar PV's then who pays for this to be done, and to re-instate them afterwards ?. Anyone buying a house with this arrangement needs to read the T&C's very carefully.
Personally I would knock £15K off the asking price of any house with solar panels fitted and owned by a 3rd party.
The panels on some flats next to us are providing ideal nesting places , between the panel and the roof, for pigeons. The roof ridge and edges of the panels being used a sentry posts to keep the jackdaws away.
The chap came to survey for the photvoltaics and seemed surprised at my concern over drilling through the slates.
I was surprised that he wasn't an electrician.
I have asked him to supply five mames and telephone numbers of customers who have had their slates drilled and are satisfied with the outcome; Should be interesting.
I have also asked him to consider installing the panels on our garage, which I'm pretty sure is large enough. He claims that this will need planning permission which could take up to six weeks and therefoe might be too long to qualify for the grant which ends on the 30th September.
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