Adding Solar Panels to a Midlothian Roof

About 80% of homes in Midlothian are owner occupied. Solar is a decision for the person who owns the roof, and in this city that is most households. Half of the homes were built before 2007 (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024), so many roofs are around 19 years old. Some of those are good candidates for panels now, and some should be replaced first.

Hail is the other factor. NOAA's Storm Prediction Center logged 19 hail reports of 1.75 inches or larger within 10 miles of Midlothian from 2015 through 2024, with large hail in 5 of those 10 years. Big hail can crack panel glass and damage the roof around the array. Before installing, ask your insurance agent how panels are treated under your policy.

If the roof does need replacing, choosing an impact-resistant product, such as shingles rated Class 4 under UL 2218, is worth discussing before the array goes on.

Panels shade part of the roof, but the attic below still needs to breathe. Good intake at the soffits and exhaust at the ridge keep heat from building up under the deck, which helps the shingles last. Our post on how roof ventilation protects your home explains how airflow works.

An inspection before installation should check that the vents are open and sized for the attic. Fixing airflow is simple while the roof is clear. Once panels cover a large part of the roof, adding or moving vents gets harder.