A solar patio cover is currently an emerging category of solar panels. It uses patio roofs as a framework to install solar panels by replacing conventional patio roofs on your commercial and residential properties.
Small-scale solar installations are preferable over the roof because not all roofs are ideal for accommodating solar panels. You can use several designs of solar panels to install in your homes. Popular types include ground-mounted systems, solar carports, and even solar trees.
But as of now, the solar patio cover is a viable option in setting up a clean energy source for both residential and commercial properties.
In this article, you will get a glimpse at how solar patios is helping all environment-conscious individuals to use pure sources of energy.
Why Solar Patio Covers?
Solar patio covers are ideal for homes that don’t have a qualifying roof for panel installations. And surprisingly, solar patio covers are not limited to residential properties but are used for commercial spaces.
Today, restaurants, cafes, and many other commercial properties are actively using and promoting solar patio covers. The covers offer superb comfort to the guests in commercial spaces, simultaneously reducing the overall operational costs.
The shade created by the solar patio covers will let you enjoy the sunshine all season, and the power utility will let you enjoy the entire year. Moreover, it adds up to the curb appeal and enhances the overall value of your home. There are many more benefits of installing solar patio covers!
It enhances the outdoor lifestyle and utilizes the environmental resources with full potential!
Benefits of Installing Solar Patio Covers
To help you understand why solar patio cover is a win-win inclusion for both residential as well as commercial spaces, here are a few of the benefits for your reference:
#1 They Promote Cooling
The least commonly referred benefit of installing the solar patio cover is the solar heat gain[1] mitigation. It is like a primary defense layer for your house or commercial space to prevent the sun’s infrared rays[2] from causing any issues associated with the human body.
The main reason the room gets hot is that the roof absorbs the sun’s infrared rays. Hence, it increases the indoor temperature, which results in causing discomfort.
Solar patio covers, also known as solar pergolas, repel harmful infrared rays that prevent the surface from heating up. As a result, the rooms with solar pergolas on the roof remain more relaxed than those with usual roofs.
Even your furniture gets damaged due to these indoor heat temperatures. Therefore, having the solar patio cover on the rooftop will act as a secondary shield for repelling heat from the worsening room temperature.
By installing the solar panel patio covers, you can reduce the cooling expenses around your property. You will have lower energy bills during the summer seasons by incorporating solar panels.
#2 Prevents Solar Damage
The solar patio covers are accountable not just to protect your house or office building from infra-red rays but also from harmful UV rays. UV radiation can break down the chemical bonding of all objects around the house. As a result, the color fades away, and the object loses its integral strength.
Solar patio or solar pergolas can help reflect the ultraviolet rays! Therefore, in the region where the UV index is higher than the average value, people prefer to back up their property objects with solar patio covers/solar pergolas/solar gazebos.
Solar patio cover installation can eventually add an extra defense layer to the leather furniture in your patio. Leather comes with similar properties as that of human skin! Therefore, they are more prone to experience intense sunlight damage, which is irreversible in the long run.
There are different types of patio covers that you can choose for your rooftop solar installation. The best ones are built with aluminum, enhancing the UV and heat resistance potential over wood.
Moreover, aluminum is resistant to shrinking and warping over time and has more extended life service. The choice of solar patio cover depends entirely upon the property owner.
When you add solar patio covers, make sure they are tough! The toughness factor will eventually help prevent fading of your house or office objects. So, go ahead and install solar panels on your roof with a solar patio cover today!
#3 Make Accessible Patios
The most significant benefit of installing the patio cover within your house is it makes your patio accessible for all weather. You can have a good warm tea in winter, enjoy watching the rain, and also enjoy afternoon lunch in summer under the solar patio cover. Apart from having ample space to enjoy, you can access it anytime, irrespective of the weather.
Hence, this is one of the most considerable benefits of installing solar panels with the patio cover.
Comparison of Solar Patio Cover or Solar Gazebos with Rooftop Solar Installation
The rooftop solar panels are considered a logical choice for most homeowners. It is because this setting adds functionality to the roof. The average positioning of most roofs is ideal for capturing the sun’s rays. But, not every roof is suitable to have solar panels over it.
The roof’s suitability for installing solar panels depends on orientation, size, and roof angle properties. Irrespective of whether you are going for ground-mounted solar systems, solar carport, solar awning, or solar patio cover, you’ll have to build standalone solar structures right from the ground up.
This approach will allow you to craft system designs that are perfectly optimized for enhancing solar electricity production. If you can go with the complete customizability of the new solar structure, then it will add up to your benefits.
But these changes will come at a considerable installation cost! Undoubtedly, the solar gazebos and solar patio cover arrangements are more expensive than the rooftop solar installation. But the cost is worth investment with loads of impactful benefits.
Drawbacks of Solar Patio Covers
Like the perks, there are certain limitations to the patio solar system installation. So, if you consider adding up patio-mounted solar system designs, you should be aware of both perks and drawbacks for making an ideal decision.
The drawbacks of the solar patio covers include:
#1 Attracts High Installation Costs
The patio must have the strength to withstand the weight of the covers and solar panels. Therefore, the installation cost increases simultaneously.
#2 They Are Limiting
If you have a smaller patio structure, the roof will house only a few solar panels or covers. Hence, this setup doesn’t allow you to stack up the panels, eventually reducing the amount of clean energy you can generate.
#3 Difficult To Find Right Installation Angle
The solar panels are instrumental when installing a suitable space and angle. It is challenging to get the right angle on the existing patios of the house.
You should place the solar patio at an angle between 30 and 45 degrees for utmost effectiveness. Flat-roof solar patio covers might not leverage the full potential of solar energy from the sun. That can be a massive problem as it can affect the power generation and cost you more than the sloped solar patio covers.
Conclusion
So, this is everything that you should know about solar patio covers to decide whether you need them for your property. You might have to change the existing structure to help fit the effective patio cover installation.
So, if you are ready to take up the high installation costs for a long-term reward, solar patio covers are perfect inclusions for your energy-saving ideology. Get them installed in your residential and commercial spaces!
