Do Solar Panels Reduce Attic Temperature?

You probably already know that solar panels can save you money by generating free electricity and reducing your utility bills, but that isn’t the only way residential solar panels help you save. 

Installing rooftop solar panels creates shade that blocks sunlight from hitting your roof. As a result, less heat is absorbed into your attic and your entire home stays cooler. A cooler house requires less air conditioning, resulting in less energy consumption and lower electric bills. 

The Temperature in Your Attic Affects Your Entire Home 

Most of the heat that infiltrates your home during the summer comes in through the attic. As the sun beats down on your roof the hot shingles send that heat down into your attic, raising the temperature inside. 

According to the laws of thermodynamics, heat will always move from a hotter location to a colder one. So, when you have your AC running in the summer, heat from your attic will travel down into your living spaces where it’s cooler. This heat movement makes your house hot and uncomfortable, and it also forces your air conditioner to work harder, increasing your energy usage and driving up your bills. 

Installing solar panels can help reduce solar heat gain and lead to a more comfortable and energy efficient home.  

Solar Panels Reduce Heat in Your Attic

Rooftop solar panels keep your attic cooler in a few ways:  

• Solar panels create a physical covering that shades your roof and reduces its overall surface temperature. 
• Solar panels are mounted on a racking system that holds them a few inches away from your roof. This creates a gap between the panels and the roof through which air can circulate. Airflow in this space can carry heat away from your home. 
• Solar panels have a reflective surface that will bounce some of the heat that hits them away from your home. 

Not only do solar panels keep your roof and attic cooler, they also convert the solar energy that would otherwise be heating up your home into electricity, so it can be put to use powering your home. 

Want to Install Solar Panels at Your Massachusetts Home? 

In addition to reducing attic temperature and keeping your home cooler in the summer, solar panels also help you reduce your carbon footprint, save money, and qualify for solar incentives like the federal solar tax credit and SMART. Boston Solar can help you take advantage of all the benefits of solar energy with a custom solar installation for your Massachusetts home. We are the leading home solar provider near you with over 10 years of experience and more than 5,000 completed installations. 

Start your solar installation with Boston Solar! Call 617-858-1645 or contact us to schedule a free solar consultation.