Many people ask us, “can I put Timberline Solar over my existing roof?” or “can I take off a part of my roof and then put Timberline Solar on just that area?” or “can I just get a couple Timberline Solar Energy Shingles on my own and install them myself?” The answer: no. Here’s why.

Timberline Solar™ is a whole roof. Unlike traditional rooftop solar, which usually involves solar panels bolted onto a rack-mounted system on top of your roof, Timberline Solar™ Energy Shingles are direct-to-deck, which means they are installed alongside asphalt shingles, directly on top of the roof deck. There are no asphalt shingles between the Energy Shingles and the roof deck. These solar shingles are  coplanar with the non-energy-producing asphalt shingles. 

Because it is a whole-roof product, it can only be installed when a home is being re-roofed. And because we designed this product for roofers, it is not a DIY roofing product. The roofing contractors we partner with are local, trusted, and certified businesses. We only work with the best! 

 A major driver for inventing Timberline Solar™ was to make it easy for roofing contractors to install. We wanted it to be a roofing product—that happened to generate energy.  It’s not just solar placed on top of a roof: it is an integrated solar roofing system. 

Timberline Solar™ is the first true solar roof on the market. It incorporates the world’s first nailable solar shingle, which roofers can install as easily as regular roofing shingles with a nail gun. The benefit of this roof-integrated solar system is its seamless, waterproof installation that mimics traditional shingle installation. 

Timberline Solar™ incorporates solar technology into traditional roofing materials and processes. It provides durability and protection while also looking beautiful. And Timberline Solar™ was designed to be an affordable solar roofing option. 

At GAF Energy, we know the best time to go solar is when you’re getting a new roof. We always tell homeowners: if you think you’ll want solar at any point in the coming years, you should definitely consider having it installed now—when you’re getting a new roof anyway. Not only are you reducing the risk of roof-damage by installing solar and roofing simultaneously, but with Timberline Solar™, it’s all one project. 

Take it from our president, Martin DeBono: “A core theme at GAF Energy is that there’s no better time to go solar than when you get a new roof. The efficiencies of project management, sales, marketing, and supply chain are amazing, and they allow a homeowner to get a fully roof-integrated, high-quality, durable solar system at a price comparable to that of a new roof with a rack-mounted solar system added afterward.”

So if you’re getting a new roof installed, consider Timberline Solar™.