Does Asbestos Impact Solar Panel Installations?

Solar panel installations are ever on the rise thanks to their sustainable properties and ability to lower your energy bills, but with asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) still a recurring feature of buildings across the UK, the situation becomes a little more complicated. 

If you’re considering installing solar panels on your home or business premises which have a known asbestos presence in its roof, you might be concerned about disturbing ACMs in the process and endangering yourself and others as a result. 

Solar panels can be installed on asbestos roofs, but you will need to take great care to carry out this process in a manner that mitigates the health risks of asbestos. In this blog, we’ll discuss how this might be accomplished.

The Complexity of Safety Practices 

The UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has set out various guidelines for how to safely drill holes in asbestos cement roofing or other highly bonded ACMs. These guidelines include steps such as preparing the working area before the work begins by restricting access to the rear of the asbestos materials (in the case of drilling holes in a roof from the outside, would mean segregating the area beneath the roof). It also emphasises having the right equipment on hand, such as a drill set on the lowest speed, and sealing the drilled edge with sealant. 

From a HSE angle, drilling into asbestos cement is a non-licensed activity, which means it isn’t technically necessary to hire a HSE-licensed contractor to carry out the work. However, safety practices, like the ones mentioned above, are complex and are best carried out by an experienced professional with the right skills and tools to hand. For this reason, it is strongly recommended that you recruit a licensed contractor to perform such a sensitive job as drilling into an asbestos roof. 

Alternatives to Installing on Asbestos Roofing

Ultimately, it’s a good idea to explore other avenues before directly drilling into asbestos roofing to install a solar panel system. You might want to consider:

• Non-penetrative mounting systems: Depending on the nature of your property, you could look into having solar panels installed that don’t require any direct penetration into the asbestos content.
• Relocation: Solar panels don’t necessarily have to be installed on a roof; ground-mounted systems are also a popular choice. 
• Asbestos removal: If possible, asbestos removal would ensure that the risks posed by ACMs are completely eliminated. Having your roof replaced is perhaps the most “future proof” solution. 

What If I Want to Install Solar Panels Anyway?

If you do decide to go ahead with installing solar panels directly onto an asbestos roof, it’s once again worth stressing that hiring a licensed contractor is the only safe course of action. The moment you begin drilling into asbestos cement roofing, the potential for fibre release and exceeding asbestos control limits will be high, making it an incredibly dangerous job. 

The good news is that hiring a professional to carry out this sensitive job means you can be confident that they have the necessary competency, experience and equipment to put the necessary control measures in place. In turn, they will be able to conduct the drilling work as safely as possible, securing the property and its occupants against asbestos exposure and the spread of contamination. 

Licensed Asbestos Removal Services in Edinburgh

Whether you’d like to have an asbestos removal service performed on your property, or you simply require more advice on the subject of building on an asbestos roof, please get in touch with Gowrie Contracts Ltd. Our asbestos experts will be happy to answer any questions or perform a survey on your property.