Odds are you’ve heard of Tesla, they’re quite the innovators when it comes to energy efficient technology. Their electric cars in particular have garnered a lot of positive attention. So with the recent announcement that they would be releasing an integrated solar roof that would be available to individual homeowners in the future. Although the announcement has certainly generated a lot of excitement, don’t let the hype fool you into thinking you should put off your roof replacement until their new solar roof comes out – it may be a while.
What is Tesla’s Solar Roof?
So what exactly is all the buzz about? What makes Tesla’s new solar roof so exciting is the fact that it doesn’t look like a typical solar roof – meaning rows of solar panels attached to the existing roof of a building. Instead, the solar roof is completely integrated into the structure. The roof tiles are actually made out of textured glass, which allows light to pass from the sun above through the tiles and onto a standard flat solar cell beneath it.
Tesla’s plan is for Panasonic to produce their solar cells and for Tesla to produce the glass tiles and everything else that’s needed to put the solar roof together. The tempered glass is supposedly as tough as steel and will weather a lifetime of exposure to the elements due to the fact that it’s made of quartz.
All of this was presented at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, where Tesla set up an elaborate neighborhood display in which a number of model homes using Tesla Powerwalls and a variety of custom roofs were showcased.
Why You Should Replace Your Roof Now
It can be easy to buy into the hype and decide to wait on replacing your roof until Tesla releases its solar roof on the market. However, there are a lot of factors in play that will impact when Tesla will be able to release its solar roof. For example, it’s depending on the approval of the purchase of SolarCity for $2.6 billion. If it doesn’t go through, then everything falls apart.
Secondly, the new solar shingles won’t begin rolling out until nine months from now – and they will be rolled out slowly at first. Then there’s the cost to consider. Tesla hasn’t revealed exactly how much this new solar roof will cost, but don’t be fooled – it’s a premium product, which means you can expect to pay a premium price – at least in its initial release phase.
If your roof needs to be replaced soon, then it’s not worth waiting right now. Best case scenario, you’ll have to wait at least nine months. Considering how important the structural integrity of your roof is, it may be extremely risky to attempt to wait that long to replace your roof.
Tesla’s solar roof is promising, but still some ways away. If you need to have your roof replaced, contact the best roofer in Baltimore by contacting us at Park Heights Roofing today.