Solar Panel Installation and Roofing Installation in Piscataway, NJ | First, Then 28 Panels

Piscataway, NJ · Client since February 2017

Tara Anthony has been a Green Sun Energy Services client since February of 2017, when the roof and the solar array were bought on the same day. The roof was finished on 10 April 2017 and the array a week later.

3,000 square feet, stripped to the deck

A single layer of old shingles came off down to the sheathing and left with the dumpster. Deck protection went over the exposed sheathing, then a GAF Timberline HDZ system carrying a 50-year warranty, aluminum drip edge along 215 feet of rakes, eaves and valleys, and a ridge vent along the peak.

28 panels and 8.96 kW

Twenty-eight LG 320 watt panels came to 8.96 kW on QuickMount flashed mounts, finished on 17 April 2017, running into a SolarEdge SE7600A inverter with a power optimizer on every panel. PSE&G is the utility and the first year was designed for about 11,133 kWh — close to 1,250 kWh for every kilowatt installed.

A separately metered system, not an estimate

This installation includes a production meter built to the ANSI accuracy standard rather than relying on the inverter’s own reading of itself. The distinction matters more than it sounds. An inverter reports what it believes it produced; a certified meter measures it to a tolerance somebody else has defined and tested against. Where production has to be reported to anyone outside the household, that is the difference between a figure and an audited one — and the meter fitted in 2017 is still the one doing the measuring.

Why the roof went first

An array is bolted to a roof for twenty-five years and more, so shingles at the end of their life underneath one become a second job with a date already on them — panels off, roof on, panels back. This roof and these panels went on within a week of each other in the spring of 2017, and neither has needed the other disturbed in the years since. That is the whole argument for doing them together, and in that order.

Why Piscataway homeowners choose Green Sun Energy Services

One company designs the roof and solar system together, so there is no finger-pointing between a roofer and a solar installer.

What makes Green Sun Energy Services different

• Roofing: installed as a GAF Certified Roofing Contractor (#CE28608), with a GAF Timberline Lifetime Roofing System like the one on this home. On this home: a new roof over 3,000 sq ft.
• Solar: design and installation supervised by a NABCEP-certified professional (#PVA-111016-016148), with SolarEdge optimizers on every panel so each one reports its own output. On this home: an 8.96 kW solar array of 28 LG 320N1K-G4/40mm panels, a SolarEdge SE7600A-US000NNR2 Inverter (12Y) W/ P400 HD Wave inverter and the QuickMount mounting system.
• Warranty: backed by a 50-year roof warranty, a 5-year roofing workmanship warranty and a 25-year solar workmanship warranty.
• Local: locally owned and operated in New Jersey since 2010, NJHIC licensed (#13VH06229000), with 12 completed roofing projects and 48 completed solar projects across Middlesex County and 92 roofing projects and 363 solar projects throughout New Jersey.

Our work in Piscataway

Green Sun Energy Services has completed 3 roof replacements and 6 featured solar projects in Piscataway. Piscataway, a township in Middlesex County, is served by PSE&G.

Generate electricity on your roof and use it to help power your vehicle.

Thinking about a new roof, solar, or both for your Piscataway home? Tell us about your project here or call 732-410-7818.

Power it. Protect it. Maintain it.

Questions from Piscataway homeowners

SolarWhat is the difference between a lease and a power purchase agreement?

Under a lease the customer generally pays an agreed periodic amount for the use of the system; under a power purchase agreement the customer generally pays for the electricity the system produces. Both normally involve third-party ownership, and terms vary considerably between providers.

SolarWhy are pathways left around rooftop panels?

Roof-access and pathway provisions preserve the areas firefighters may need for emergency roof operations, ventilation and access. New Jersey's residential code carries solar access, setback and pathway provisions, and the exact layout depends on the roof configuration and the applicable exceptions.

RoofingHow often should I inspect my roof?

A visual check from the ground once or twice a year and after major storms is sensible. Professional inspection is worthwhile when the roof is older, a leak is suspected, or shingles, flashing, gutters, or penetrations appear damaged.

RoofingDo HOAs in Piscataway, NJ control roof color or material?

Many associations have architectural rules affecting color, shingle style, visible metal, solar integration, and scheduling. Homeowners should obtain required approvals before ordering material or starting work.

RoofingCan a new roof stop ice dams?

A properly designed roof system can reduce leak risk, but the root cause is often attic heat loss and uneven roof temperature. Effective solutions may include air sealing, insulation corrections, balanced ventilation, ice-and-water membrane, and proper flashing.