Solar Panel Installation in Norwich and Norfolk

We install bespoke rooftop solar panels in Norwich, Norfolk and around the surrounding areas that will enable you to generate your own electricity without relying totally on the National Grid.

If you're a homeowner or a commercial customer and considering the installation of solar panels on your property, get in touch with DH Roofing Contractors for your free, no-obligation quotation.

A guide to solar panels

How solar panels work

Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels turn daylight into electricity. An inverter converts it into the form your home or business uses, and anything you use while it is being generated comes off your bill. Any surplus can charge a battery or be exported to the grid. Panels still generate on cloudy days, though less than in direct sun.

Is my roof suitable?

A roof facing south gets the most sun, but east and west facing roofs also work well, generating more in the morning or the evening. Shade from trees, chimneys or nearby buildings reduces what a panel produces. The roof also needs to be in good condition, as the panels will stay on it for many years.

Planning permission

On most houses, rooftop solar panels are permitted development and do not need planning permission, provided they do not stand out too far from the roof slope. Listed buildings need consent, and there can be restrictions in conservation areas, so check with your local council if either applies to your property.

Selling surplus electricity

Under the Smart Export Guarantee, energy suppliers pay for the electricity you export to the grid. Rates vary from one supplier to another, so it is worth comparing their export tariffs.

Solar and your roof

Because we are roofers, we can check and repair the roof before the panels go on, and remove and refit panels if roof work is needed later. Customers have had us take their solar panels off during a re-roof and put them back once the work was done.

Solar batteries

A battery stores the electricity your panels make during the day so you can use it in the evening, rather than exporting it to the grid. Whether a battery is worth it depends on how much electricity you use when the panels are not generating. Many systems are designed so a battery can be added later.

On-roof or in-roof panels

On-roof panels are fixed to rails above the existing tiles or slates, and suit most roofs. In-roof systems replace a section of tiles so the panels sit flush with the roof, which gives a neater look and is often chosen when a roof is being replaced anyway. In both cases the fixings must keep the roof watertight, which is where a roofer's experience matters.

How many panels do I need?

That depends on how much electricity you use, how much roof area faces the right way, and your budget. A system sized for your typical daytime use makes the most of what it generates.

Looking after solar panels

Solar panels need little upkeep. Rain keeps them reasonably clean on a pitched roof, but it is worth checking that trees have not grown to shade them, and that birds are not nesting in the gap under the panels, which can be prevented with mesh around the edges.

What affects the cost of solar panels

• The number of panels and the size of the system
• On-roof or in-roof mounting
• Whether a battery is included
• Scaffolding and access to the roof
• Any roof repairs needed before the panels go on

Every quotation from DH Roofing Contractors is free and comes with no obligation.