is it best to reinforce rafters

[polly]

do rafters benefit from being widened so brackets will support panels better? thanks

 

[Manator]

One of the major pitfalls of the Green energy systems is the fact that many installers will always just bang it in! A proper firm will do all the structural surveys and do include any remedial actions to be taken into the final costs. Problem with that is they are often more expensive than the cowboys, so you get what you pay for in the end.

Go cheap and pay later.

Your question is very vague, we do not know what size they are now, or what they should be under the extra load. Most houses are not designed for the extra loading of solar panels, but that does not stop some companies from installing them.

 

[binky]

use decent spax screws to reduce splitting out of timber. I prefer 6 or 8mm mushroom head screws.

 

[Technician]

A recent solar install I observed covered the entire pitched roof

on the south side with 13 panels. I was astonished to hear and

see the slates being drilled so that the support brackets could be

mounted.

I enquired about this and was told what I expected to hear. That

slates/tiles were to be lifted.

 

[polly]

thanks for all the comments much appreciated i think im not going to botherhaving solar installed too many potential problems with weight on roof etc and being sure that i will benefit financially or not after 25 years !some predictions have been a little unrealistic(300000 profit on east west roof with 4 kw pannels)

 

[polly]

thanks for all comments ,might not go ahead weight an issue also would i benefit financially after 25 years 30000 sounds alot for east west roof on21p tarriff /4kw instal.

 

[NozSpark]

I don't get what you are saying with having an East West roof.

Are you saying that the ridge line is East West or is the ridge line North South?

Also

 

[Jono Pashley]

System we used required no drilling on tile roofs slate however is a nightmare that noone has sorted a ideal solution out for yet.

 

[steptoe]

we had really good stepped brackets for slate roofs, they were in fact a better fitting bracket than the tile version, except that slates are a nightmare to lift.

---------- Post Auto-Merged 27th June 2012 at 00:00 ---------- Previous post was made 26th June 2012 at 23:59 ----------

thanks for all comments ,might not go ahead weight an issue also would i benefit financially after 25 years 30000 sounds alot for east west roof on21p tarriff /4kw instal.

do you mean

 

[binky]

thanks for all comments ,might not go ahead weight an issue also would i benefit financially after 25 years 30000 sounds alot for east west roof on21p tarriff /4kw instal.

 

[MRP]

7k for sharp & equip & labour is too cheap.

When there is no tariff and panels become slightly cheaper then it's a reasonable price.