Is Your Roof Ready for Solar Panels? A Checklist for Irish Homes

As an engineer specialising in solar installation and sustainable energy systems, I know that the success of any solar project begins well before the first panel goes up. In a nutshell: To ensure your solar panels perform efficiently and safely, your roof must be structurally sound, properly oriented, and free from significant shading.

If you’re thinking about solar power for your home in Dublin, Cork or anywhere across Ireland, here’s your comprehensive roof readiness checklist to help you get started.

1. Check Your Roof's Orientation and Tilt

In Ireland, a south-facing roof will generally give you the best solar yield, capturing sunlight throughout the day. However, east- and west-facing roofs can still be viable, especially when paired with battery storage or if your household uses more energy in the morning or evening. A roof pitch (angle) between 30° and 40° is ideal, but even shallower or steeper angles can work with the right panel configuration and mounting system.

If your roof isn’t ideally oriented, don’t worry. A site assessment can determine if solar still makes sense for your setup.

Get in touch for a personalised quote based on your location, roof size, and energy use, no commitment required.

2. Evaluate Your Roof’s Condition and Age

Your roof is the foundation of your solar system, literally. Before investing in panels that will last 25 years or more, it’s vital to ensure your roof is in good condition. Look out for loose tiles, worn underlay, sagging sections, or signs of water damage or rot.

If your roof is over 15–20 years old and due for replacement soon, it’s best to combine roofing work and panel installation to save on future costs and avoid having to uninstall panels later on.

At WattCharger, we can recommend local roofing specialists if needed before we begin any installation.

3. Consider the Structural Load Capacity

One of the most common questions we get is: “Will the weight of solar panels damage my roof?”
The short answer: Not if your roof is in good condition and the system is installed professionally.

✅ Here’s what you need to know:

⚖️ Weight of the Panels:
Each solar panel typically weighs between 18–20 kg, and the mounting system (rails, hooks, and clamps made of lightweight aluminium) adds a small additional load. For most homes, a full system (10–20 panels) spreads the weight across a wide area. Averaging 10–20 kg per square metre (or 2–4 lbs per sq. ft). This is well within the safe load-bearing limits of modern Irish roofs.

🧱 Roof Strength & Suitability:
At WattCharger, we conduct an in-person roof assessment as part of our standard site survey. This visual inspection checks for signs of sagging, rotten timber, water damage, or prior structural repairs. These signs may indicate that reinforcement or remedial work is needed before installation.

For older or non-standard structures (like barns, slate roofs, or flat roofs), we may recommend a structural engineer’s report to ensure complete safety and compliance with building codes.

🏗️ Safe, Even Weight Distribution:
Our solar systems are installed using industry-approved mounting frameworks designed to distribute weight evenly and avoid pressure points. We also ensure that all fixings are weatherproof and securely anchored to prevent leaks or wind uplift.

🔧 Bottom Line:
If your roof is in decent condition and your installer follows best practices (like we do at WattCharger), solar panels will not cause structural damage. Most Irish homes are built to support this kind of load without issue.


4. Look for Potential Shading Issues

Even partial shading from trees, chimneys, dormers or nearby buildings can significantly reduce your solar output. Sometimes disproportionately so. Shade on one part of a panel array can affect the performance of the whole system, depending on your inverter setup.

We recommend a professional shading analysis as part of your solar survey. Tools like PV simulation software can forecast shading throughout the year, identifying potential losses before installation. In many cases, trimming a tree or relocating a satellite dish is all it takes to maximise exposure.

5. Measure Your Available Roof Space

Solar panels in Ireland typically generate around 350–420 watts per panel, and each one takes up about 1.6–1.8m². A standard 4 kWp system (suitable for many households) requires roughly 20–25m² of unshaded roof space.

Obstacles like skylights, vents, and chimneys can reduce usable area, so it’s important to account for spacing between panels and edge clearance. Our team will provide a full layout proposal based on a roof scan or manual survey.

Want a quick estimate? Try our kWp calculator to see how many panels your roof might support.

6. Understand Local Planning and Grid Requirements

For most Irish homes, solar installations under 12 sqm (or under 50% of the roof area) are exempt from planning permission, but larger or ground-mounted systems may require approval, especially in heritage zones or protected structures.

Additionally, to be eligible for feed-in tariffs through the Clean Export Guarantee (CEG), your system must be connected to the grid via the ESB, and in some cases, an NC6 form will need to be submitted.
➡️ Learn more in our guide to Feed-in Tariffs in Ireland.

Next Steps: Ready to Go Solar?

If your roof ticks the boxes, or if you're not quite sure, we’re here to help. At WattCharger, we specialise in designing and installing bespoke solar solutions tailored to your home’s structure, energy use and budget.

We'll evaluate your roof and provide a custom plan.