How to tell if your roof is suitable for Free Solar

In order to qualify for the scheme, your roof must face in the correct direction, be large enough to accommodate the panels and not be shaded. The best way to check all three is to enter your postcode into Google Maps, locate your roof then follow the guidelines below.

The roof must face South, South East, South West or East & West. North-facing directions will not be suitable as the system will not receive enough sunlight to make the installation viable, especially during the Winter months when the sun is lower in the sky...

Note that large Commercial properties with flat roofs can have the panels installed on a frame so the direction is not important in this instance.

There must be at least 16 square metres of available space i.e. not including obstructions such as Velux windows, chimneys, etc. This equates to a system size of 2kWp which is the minimum allowed under the scheme.

One way to get a rough idea of the size is to imagine how many cars could fit onto the roof. When you have located your roof using Google Maps, try to imagine if four or more cars would fit into the available space.

There should not be an excessive amount of shading from nearby trees or other buildings as this reduces the efficiency of the panels. Dormer windows and chimneys on your own roof can also shade the panels. The roof must also be structurally sound, otherwise the work cannot be carried out.

If you are unsure as to whether the roof is likely to be suitable, please continue to apply and we will check the roof for you.