Switching to solar energy can significantly reduce your home's electricity bills by using sunlight to power your home instead of using power from the electric grid. Most homeowners choose to install solar panels on the roof of their homes in order to switch to solar. However, installing solar shingles instead of solar panels can sometimes be a better option. Solar shingles look like normal roofing shingles, but they act like tiny solar panels that can create electricity from sunlight. To learn about the benefits of installing solar shingles on your roof instead of solar panels, read on.

Solar Shingles Don't Affect the Appearance of Your Home as Much as Panels  

One of the biggest reasons why homeowners opt for solar shingles instead of solar panels is that solar shingles are less visible than solar panels. You may not like the look of solar panels or you may live in an area with a homeowners' association that prohibits them from being installed. 

Solar shingles are a replacement for your roof, and they look very similar to normal roofing shingles. Solar panels, on the other hand, are mounted to your roof using racks and are highly visible. If you want to switch to solar and want to minimize the effect on the appearance of your home, solar shingles are your best choice.

Solar Shingles Don't Require Drilling Through Your Roof

In order to install solar panels on your roof, a solar energy company will need to drill through your existing roofing shingles to attach the panel mounts to your roof decking. Creating openings in your roof will increase the chance that it leaks. Water that leaks through one of the drilled holes can cause your roof decking to rot, resulting in serious structural damage to your roof. Solar shingles replace your normal roofing shingles, so there's no need to drill any holes in your roof to install them. 

Solar Shingles Can Act as a Replacement for an Aging Roof  

If your roof needs to be replaced soon, then installing solar shingles is often a better option than installing solar panels. Solar shingles will protect your home from rain and high winds just like a normal roof, so you can save money overall by choosing solar shingles for your roof replacement.

Installing solar panels on a roof that will need to be replaced soon isn't always a good idea since they'll increase the cost of replacing your roof. The solar panels will need to be removed before the roof can be replaced, and you'll need to pay to have them installed again afterward. Switching to solar shingles will give you a replacement roof along with reducing your energy bills.

If you think that solar shingles would be a good fit for your home, call a solar energy company in your area and ask about having them installed on your roof. You'll minimize the effect on the appearance of your home compared to installing solar panels, and you'll be able to harvest energy from the sun to significantly reduce your home's energy bills.

To find out more, contact a solar energy company.