If you’re worried that your Velux windows have stopped your switch to solar before it’s even begun, there’s no reason to despair.

It’s almost always possible to install solar panels on a roof with Velux windows. Your installer will have to take a few extra considerations into account, but they should be well-trained for that.

At Sunsave, we’ve carried out many successful solar installations for households with roof windows, so we know it doesn’t have to be an obstacle to going solar.

If you’re wondering how much you could save with a solar & battery system, enter a few details below and we’ll provide an estimate.

Can you get solar panels if you have Velux windows?

The vast majority of households with Velux windows can get solar panels.

Installers can just fit panels around the windows, as long as there’s still enough space – and there usually is.

Velux is a brand name that’s become a generic term – in much the same way as ‘hoover’ – so we should clarify that the same applies to all skylights.

A good installer will assess your roof before designing your system, and certainly won’t refuse to proceed just because you have a Velux window.

The only issue would be if a household had so many Velux windows on its roof that there wasn’t enough space to install a financially beneficial solar panel system – but this is rare.

Why do Velux windows interfere with solar panels?

Velux windows take up space on your roof that can’t be used for solar panels – not least because putting panels over them would block light from reaching the room below.

And even if you’d rather cover your Velux windows with panels, you shouldn’t, since this can sometimes create waterproofing problems that lead to leaks.

It’s not just the space they physically take up that’s unusable, either. A good installer will leave a small clearance gap around each Velux window, to avoid waterproofing issues and allow safe access to them.

When, for instance, the rubber seals on Velux windows degrade – which tends to happen with time – a roofer needs to be able to comfortably access the window frame.

Solar panels placed too closely to a Velux window makes this extremely difficult, to the extent that the roofer may have to temporarily remove some of your panels.

Each standard Velux window takes up around 0.8m², and if you add the clearance as well, this removes a significant amount of usable roof space – though not usually enough to stop homes from going solar.

If you have an average roof with one or two small Velux windows, the impact on your system’s size should be minimal. It’s only a significant issue if you have a small roof with multiple skylights.

For example, a roof with space for 12 panels should still be able to take 10 or 11 if it has some Velux windows – which is still a well-sized system – but if your roof can’t fit at least six panels, it’s usually not worth going solar, as your energy bill savings won’t be sufficient.

For more information, check out our guide to how many solar panels you need.

Velux windows and solar panel shading

Velux windows don’t tend to cast shade on solar panels, and the gap left between the two is nothing to do with shading.

Your panels will be on rails, making them more elevated than typical Velux windows – so if anything, your panels will cast shadows on your roof windows, not the other way round.

Even in the summer, if it gets so warm that you want to open your skylights, the sun will be high enough in the sky that your windows won’t cast substantial amounts of shade on your panels.

And if you want to open your Velux windows at other times, your panels will be able to handle it.

Every panel now comes with built-in bypass diodes – small electrical components that reroute current around shaded areas. This way, one shaded spot won’t affect your whole system, and your panels can keep producing as much electricity as possible.

Modern solar technology has come so far that additional devices that help with shading – such as optimisers and microinverters – are rarely required.

How do solar installers work around Velux windows?

A good solar installer will survey your roof with satellite imaging software, then design a system that fits around your Velux windows, as well as any chimneys or vent pipes.

In many cases, Velux windows will barely be an issue. For example, if a 12-panel system is sufficient for your needs, but skylights are taking up some space, your installer may decide to spread the panels across two sides of your roof.

The only other issue for an installer if they fit solar panels near Velux windows is that technically, people in your household could reach through a window and touch the panels and DC cable – which might electrocute them.

To prevent this unlikely scenario, your installer will take the additional precaution of ‘grounding’ your panels with a cable that travels from your system to your home’s main earthing terminal.

This extra cable shouldn’t affect the overall cost, since it’s cheap and will barely add to your installer’s workload.

Summary

In most cases, solar panels can easily coexist with Velux windows, provided you have a reputable installer who knows what they’re doing.

Velux windows reduce the amount of usable space, but the majority of roofs have room to spare, and can fit both skylights and panels without any trouble.

Your installer should draw up a plan that includes as many panels as possible, while also taking run-of-the-mill maintenance and safety concerns into consideration.

If you’re wondering how much you could save with a solar & battery system, enter a few details below and we’ll provide an estimate.

FAQs