4 ms·
>The panels, because they are black Doesn't seem like that would matter once covered by a few inches of snow. But otherwise your points seem solid.
by treis 4y ago
>The panels, because they are black
Doesn't seem like that would matter once covered by a few inches of snow. But otherwise your points seem solid.
- dashundchen 4y agoAll it takes is a little snow to melt or blow off and the exposed panel will heat and cause the rest of the snow to melt and slide off. The panels are relatively slippery so a little melt at a pitch will clear them in no time.
- acomjean 4y agomy partner has panels on her house around boston. They work well. The snow slides off, usually with a great "wump" as it drops 2 stories into the yard. Its acually a little startling at first. They work better in the summer, but provide most of the house power. Doesn't help much with the EV she got since except in the summer. She got a electric water heater as well.
- EricE 4y agoIf her water heater is in the basement, when it comes time to replace look at the heat pump water heaters. As a bonus, they dehumidify as they work - which is usually a very good thing for basements!
- bombcar 4y agoIt somehow does - dark asphalt melts snow faster than grass even when not shoveled. But once it’s deep enough it stops.
- mnw21cam 4y agoThe dark asphalt has stored heat, and is in good thermal contact with the bottom of the snow. Grass insulates the snow from the ground.
- cogman10 4y agoYou don't ever get a few inches of snow on the top of the roof. The point of the aggressive pitch is so the weight of the snow pulls itself off the roof so your roof/home doesn't have to support 5 tons of water weight. IDK if you live in a place that sees significant snow, if so, just drive around a neighborhood and notice what the snow looks like on the rooftops. Generally none on the top and some on the bottom. That's by design. While the bottom of the panels aren't doing anything to melt the snow, the top portions are, and that accelerates as the snow melts.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]
- treis 4y ago>You don't ever get a few inches of snow on the top of the roof. The point of the aggressive pitch is so the weight of the snow pulls itself off the roof so your roof/home doesn't have to support 5 tons of water weight. This is definitely not how snow on roofs work. Here is an example with a roof with lots of snow on it: https://millworksconstructionservices.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/snow-roof-removal-winter-park2.jpg https://millworksconstructionservices.com/wp-content/uploads... Roofs in cold climates are designed to hold the weight of snow on top of them. ETA: The no snow on top but some on the bottom is because their attic isn't insulated well enough. Ideally you lose no heat through the ceiling into the attic. But without enough insulation you will lose a significant amount and the hotter air will rise to the highest point and melt the peak first. You don't want this because the melted snow can run down your roof and freeze again on the colder parts.