The DecoTech roof-integrated solar system review

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decotech solar roof review

Homeowners across the country have their eye on Elon Musk's Tesla Solar Roof, a much-heralded innovation for the solar energy industry. However, Tesla is just one company offering a roof-integrated solar option for homeowners and businesses. Roofing company GAF's solar tile solution, DecoTech, hit the market in early 2017 and promises to be "the beautiful affordable alternative to typical rack-mounted solar systems." We'll explain everything you need to know about DecoTech solar, from performance to price to warranties.

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Key takeaways

  • The GAF DecoTech solar roof is an alternative to solar panels that fits in more seamlessly to your roof.

  • GAF has a network of installers all around the country.

  • Solar shoppers should use the EnergySage Marketplace to browse solar panels based on price, efficiency, brand, quality, and more.

GAF's roof-integrated solar product, DecoTech, is a low-profile solar energy system with standard solar panels installed as part of your roof. The brackets and mounting are affixed on the roof in a typical solar panel system. By contrast, the DecoTech system is installed when you are already replacing your roof, making integrating the two products easier.

DecoTech solar roofing on a home

DecoTech solar roofing on a home

Close-up of DecoTech solar panels on a roof

Close-up of DecoTech solar panels on a roof

DecoTech's use of standard-sized solar panels in its roof-integrated solar system distinguishes it from other "solar roofing options."

There are a few different types of products in the "solar roofing" category. The first is solar shingles. Also known as "building-integrated photovoltaics" (BIPV), these are roof-shingle-sized solar panels. SunTegra and CertainTeed both offer these roof-integrated panels.

SunTegra Tiles on a tile roof

SunTegra Tiles on a tile roof

The second option, which was developed more recently, is the "solar roof." Solar roof products feature solar cells integrated into the roofing material itself. Unlike solar shingles, solar roofs are designed to hide the solar photovoltaic cell from view completely. Tesla and Forward Labs are two companies with solar roof products.

A mock-up of the Tesla solar roof

A mock-up of the Tesla solar roof

Unlike solar shingles or solar roof tiles, DecoTech uses standard 60-cell solar panels, which are the same size and shape as the panels typically used in solar systems. Their innovation comes during system installation. GAF is a roofing company first, and they have designed their product so that its installation is part of the re-roofing process. This makes setting the system at a lower profile easy, making it less noticeable and hiding the racking and other wiring necessary to the installation.

GAF's solar roofing product offers a sleek, low-profile solar option for many homes, but it may or may not be the perfect fit for your home. Here's how it compares to traditional solar panels, other solar shingles like SunTegra and CertainTeed, and new solar roofing options like Tesla and Forward Labs' solar roofing options.

Performance

DecoTech solar panels use the same solar technology as other solar panels: silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) cells. According to the company's product specifications, they offer 17% efficiency, which aligns with standard solar panels.

DecoTech's panels offer higher efficiency than solar shingle options. SunTegra's products have an efficiency of anywhere from 13.9% to 15.9%, and CertainTeed shingles have efficiency ratings of 14.7% to 15.3%. However, it is worth mentioning that this isn't necessarily the result of a lower-quality product. Solar shingles' lower efficiency is because building-integrated solar panels don't have air circulating underneath the solar cells to cool them. Like other electronic equipment, solar panels can overheat. While this installation style creates a seamless look, it also comes with lower electricity production.

It's worth noting that both Forward Labs and Tesla's solar roof products likely have similar efficiency losses because of how they are installed. However, neither company has released detailed efficiency information.

Installation process

A traditional solar panel installation can be completed in a matter of hours. (In fact, you can watch a full installation happen over a few hours in EnergySage's time-lapse video Solar Panel Installation in Less Than A Minute.) The process is simple: Workers install the brackets and mounting system for the solar panels and then connect the solar panels to the framework.

The installation process for GAF's DecoTech solar roofing product is a little different. The company is primarily a roofing company and expects to install its solar systems alongside a new roof. This has its benefits: The installation of the roof and solar panel system is streamlined. However, the process will necessarily be more complicated than a standard rooftop system.

Aesthetics

If your primary concern is finding a hidden solar power installation, Tesla and Forward Labs are the only companies that offer a true "solar roof" with solar cells that are invisible from ground level. The DecoTech solar roof option is closer to a standard solar panel system but has a much lower profile.

Price

In the world of home solar, the lowest cost option – and the one that offers the greatest long-term savings – will most certainly be a standard solar panel system. The average cost of solar in 2022 is $2.77/watt, and the average EnergySage customer can cover over 90% of their electric bill with their solar panel system.

GAF's pricing information for their DecoTech option isn't publicly available. However, press coverage about their solar roofing states that they expect the first installations to come at about a 10-15% premium over the cost of a new roof and a standard solar panel system.

By comparison, EnergySage analyzed Forward Labs solar roofing data and found that their product cost approximately $4.90/watt, including the non-solar roofing materials needed to complete the installation. The same analysis found that Tesla's solar roof pricing is nearly $6.40/watt.

Warranty

The DecoTech Solar-Integrated Roofing System warranty comes with a few different components.

The first is for the roof itself. GAF offers different warranties depending on the type of roofing materials you use, ranging from 20 years to a lifetime. The second is for the solar materials used in the roof. This portion of the warranty, which lasts 25 years, protects you against manufacturing defects. It also guarantees that the power output of your panels won't drop by more than 0.7% annually after their first year – a standard warranty for the solar industry. Homeowners also can buy an additional lifetime guarantee, which additionally offers coverage for labor.

Availability

As a part of the largest roofing manufacturer in North America (Standard Industries), GAF has a network of installers spread across the country. While not all of the company's installers can install DecoTech systems, this still gives GAF an advantage over other solar roofing options.

For example, SunTegra solar roof options are available "in selected regions of the United States, Canada, and Mexico," including but not limited to California and New Jersey. Tesla's solar roof and Forward Labs' product offering are only available in select test markets in California, with no indication of when they will be rolled out in other parts of the country.

DecoTech's solar roofing option can offer a nice compromise between the aesthetically pleasing, costly solar roof and a standard solar panel system if you want to replace your roof. However, these benefits come at a price premium, and in many cases, a standard solar panel system is a much more cost-effective option for your home. The average EnergySage customer with a solar panel system breaks even on their solar investment in just seven years.

If you're considering a solar roof, solar shingles, or standard rooftop panels, comparing your options can help you determine the relative costs and benefits of going solar. Join the EnergySage Marketplace to solicit competitive quotes for rooftop solar PV systems from installers local to you. Whether your top priority is aesthetics, long-term savings, or initial investment, reviewing offers from multiple providers is the best way to find the right option for your home.

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