These are the questions homeowners and architects ask us most. We answer them plainly, including the ones where the honest answer is that this is not the right choice for every home.
The product
Solar shingles are thin solar layers made to resemble asphalt shingles, and they install alongside conventional shingles. Solar roof tiles are roofing tiles with the solar cell built into the material. Icon, the product we install, is a concrete tile with the cell cast into it during manufacturing. The differences come down to material, weight, lifespan, and appearance.
Icon is a concrete solar roof tile made by Voltaic, built on a Westlake Royal concrete roofing format. Each tile produces 17.5W with cell efficiency above 21.6 percent, and a roofing square produces 1540W. It is UL Listed, Class A fire rated, tested to wind speeds of 180 mph, and IEC 61215 certified. It is installed as the roof itself, not on top of one.
Tycoon is Voltaic's metal roofing panel with solar built into it, for homes where a metal roof suits the architecture. Like Icon, it is the roof covering itself and generates power with no visible equipment. Current specifications are available on request.
There are no panels, racking, or mounting hardware on the roof, because the solar cell is inside the tile. From the street and from above, it reads as a tile roof. Our work page shows completed homes.
Yes, because the tile is the roof covering. It goes in as part of a roof replacement or new construction, so the best time to consider it is when your roof is within a few years of replacement. If your roof has many years left, it is harder to justify financially, and we will tell you that.
Yes. A roof can combine active solar tiles with matching tiles without solar cells in the same profile, so the roof looks uniform. We place active tiles where they produce the most power, and the layout is set during design.
Concrete tile weighs more than asphalt shingles, so we review the roof structure during design. Any reinforcement is identified and scoped before work starts.
Cost and value
Icon is a designer roof, in the same category as slate, clay, and premium concrete tile. Roofs of that caliber typically run about three times the price of asphalt, so it is not comparable to a standard roof, to standard solar, or to the two combined. We price each project individually after reviewing the home, because roof size, pitch, complexity, and system size all change the number. Our pricing page explains what shapes it.
Because it is a different kind of product. Panels are equipment added to a roof. Icon is the roof, a premium material in the same class as slate, with power generation built in. The fair comparison is to other designer roofing materials, not to panels.
Sternholt designs and engineers the system, specifies the materials, manages permitting and utility interconnection, and delivers the finished roof through activation. You sign one contract, with Sternholt, and have one point of accountability from design through completion.
They are two different products with different goals. Solar shingles are a lower cost way to reduce the look of solar on a conventional roof, but they remain an imitation of asphalt and do not deliver the character of a premium roofing material. Solar roof tiles like Icon are for homeowners who want a designer roof that also generates power. If cost is the priority, tiles are not the right choice.
That depends on your electricity use, your utility rates, the age of your roof, and how long you plan to stay. The roof has a long service life and the power warranty runs 25 years, but we do not quote a payback period without reviewing your usage and rates first.
Incentives change often, and what applies depends on the year and the project. We confirm what currently applies to your home during design rather than quoting a figure here.
Warranty and maintenance
Icon carries a 30 year roof warranty, a 25 year power warranty, and a 10 year product warranty. The roof warranty covers the tile as a roofing material, the power warranty covers the electrical output of the solar cells over time, and the product warranty covers defects in the product itself. We review the full written terms with you before you sign.
You call Sternholt. You have one contract and one point of contact, from design through activation and afterward. We handle any warranty matter, including coordination with Voltaic, so you never have to work out who is responsible.
Yes. The installation is warranted, and the terms are written into your contract.
Concrete tile is one of the longest lived roofing materials, with a proven service life of 50 years or more. The warranties above cover defined periods, and the tile itself is expected to outlast them.
Very little. It needs the same periodic care as any quality tile roof, an occasional visual inspection and keeping gutters and valleys clear of debris, plus a look at the electrical system when the roof is inspected. There is no equipment on the roof to service. We provide care guidance at handover, and we are available if you want an inspection.
Individual tiles can be replaced without redoing the roof. Because solar tiles are wired into the system, replacement should be handled by Sternholt or a qualified installer, not a general roofer, so the electrical connection and the warranty stay intact.
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