New roof...solar panel decision?!

[billethkid]

We are having a new roof put on in the coming weeks.
We have a pool with a solar system and a gas heater backup.

I am doing homework to determine whether to have the solar system put back on the new roof.
It is 15 years old and I am sure there will be damage to components during the removal process.


We do not run either the gas or solar during the month of January as it is usually too cold to maintain temperatures....as well as too cold getting in and out.

There is no question the gas heater can handle maintaining the temp requirements during the colder/coldest days.

Solar works best once the night time temps get to 65 and above...a couple of hours of gas heat first thing in the AM.

I suspect there will be some where between $1000 and $3000 for component replacement.

I have heard recently that one should not run the delivery piping on the roof but rather bury the piping.....I need to get better educated on that part.

If you have a solar system and had to do it over again would you do it again?
If you were having a new roof put on would you have the solar put back?

Just looking for out loud thinking and opinions...

[retiredguy123]

I would trash it and either buy a new system or do without the solar altogether.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

That the most efficient use of solar radiation conversion to useful human energy is to convert the radiation to heat and store the heat for use later. Therefore, the most useful conversion is to heat water and store the hot water for use later.

The most efficient for them was storing heat in the hot water tank which was highly insulated, for use in showering and washing at a later time, or at any time. Obviously heated during the day, matching with usage. now I shower at night to go to bed clean versus going to bed dirty, and transfering that to the sheets. . . others shower in the morning. . .

This strategy makes the most useful sense to me, since there is a high conversion ratio from radiation to storable heat.

The information is searchable, and your decisions are yours. (I don't have a pool, but would use solar heating to maintain the heat when direct radiation is not available

sportsguy

[Kahuna32162]

Just had our roof replaced, solar panels, also 15+ years old, were taken down and then reinstalled by a contractor working with the roofer, if anything was damaged or broken during the tear down, it would be the responsibility of the roofing company. Cost was included in the cost of the roof project paid as part of the insurance claim. Also had a lightening arrestor system that was taken down and then reinstalled by a contractor working with the roofing company. We also have a gas heater backup, but have found it pretty expensive to use much.