Cooler Attic Temperatures: A Surprising Benefit of Solar Panels
Solar panels have many benefits, from lower electricity bills to a smaller carbon footprint. But there’s one solar benefit many homeowners don’t know about—cooler attic temperatures.
Solar panels help keep your roof and, in turn, your attic, cooler in the summer. This can make your house more comfortable so you can run your air conditioner less frequently, saving energy and money.
Keep reading to learn more about the solar panel cooling effect.
How Solar Panels Reduce Roof Temperatures
Residential solar panels reduce roof temperatures and make your house cooler. Here’s how:
Heat Absorption: Solar panels absorb most of the sunlight that would otherwise be absorbed by your roof and turn it into electricity you can use to air condition your home!
Heat Reflection: Solar panels are made of glass, which is a reflective material. They reflect some of the sunlight that hits them instead of absorbing it, which helps bounce heat away from your roof.
Shading: Solar panels create shade that covers a significant portion of your roof. This blocks sunlight and reduces the amount of heat your roof absorbs.
Ventilation: Solar panels are mounted on a racking system that holds them a few inches away from your roof, allowing air to circulate beneath the panels and carry heat away from your roof.
A Cooler Roof Means a Cooler Attic & Home
Most of the heat that gets into your house during the summer comes in through the attic. When the sun beats down on your roof, heat conducts into your attic. From there, it will travel down into the rooms below your attic and spread throughout your home. This is why so many houses have a hot upper floor in the summer.
There’s nothing worse than a hot house in the blazing Arizona summer. Plus, the warmer your house gets, the harder your air conditioner will have to work to cool it off, which drives up your AC bills.
Insulating your attic is the best way to keep heat out during the summer, but solar panels provide additional cooling properties that can boost your home’s energy efficiency and comfort.
Stay Cool With an Arizona Home Solar Installation
In Arizona, we need all the help we can get to keep our homes cool. Solar panels will reduce your roof’s temperature so your house stays cooler and more comfortable. But that’s just one of the many benefits of a rooftop solar installation. They also:
- Save on electricity
- Protect against rising rates
- Reduce carbon emissions
- Qualify for tax credits and incentives
- Provide backup power (when paired with a solar battery)
SouthFace Solar & Electric can help you take advantage of all the benefits of clean, affordable solar energy for your home. We are Arizona’s leading solar panel and battery installer with over 35 years of combined experience. We install sleek, high-performance solar panels that blend right into your home’s roof.
