Why pitch matters more than direction
The sun sits in the southern sky in Colorado, so a panel tilted away from it sees the sun at a worse angle. The steeper the tilt away, the bigger the penalty. A 4/12 north face and a 10/12 north face are very different roofs.
In winter, when the sun is low, a steep north roof can go most of the day with little direct light, and snow tends to linger on it longer. In summer the sun rides high enough that even north faces do reasonably well.
When a north roof still makes sense
If your south and west faces are full, or shaded, a low-slope north face can add capacity at the same installed price per watt — you just get fewer kilowatt-hours from each panel, so the payback stretches. We’ll show that plane’s modeled output separately so you can decide whether to include it.
Utility rules change the math too. On Xcel’s time-of-use schedule, production late in the afternoon is worth more, which favors west faces. North-facing panels produce a flatter curve that doesn’t help much with the 5–9 pm peak.
Alternatives that often beat a north roof
A detached garage, shop or carport with a better angle. East and west faces, which on many Colorado homes come close enough to south to be worth it. Or a ground mount, which we build, if you have open yard or acreage — it can face due south at the ideal tilt regardless of how the house sits.
And sometimes the honest answer is that solar isn’t the right first move. A battery on Xcel’s time-of-use rate, or a Level 2 charger scheduled for off-peak hours, can still cut costs with no roof at all.
What to do next
- 1Tell us your roof pitch if you know it, or send a photo of the side of the house.
- 2We model each roof plane separately so you can see what the north face contributes on its own.
- 3Compare against a garage, east/west or ground-mount layout before committing.
- 4Run the solar savings calculator with the lower production number, not the ideal one.
FAQ
Questions we hear
How much less does a north-facing solar panel produce?
It depends mostly on pitch. On a shallow roof the loss can be modest; on a steep one it can be large enough to sink the economics. We won’t quote a percentage until we’ve modeled your specific roof.
Should I tilt panels up on a north-facing roof?
Tilt-up racking on a pitched north roof is rarely a good idea in Colorado — it adds wind and snow load, looks odd, and often draws HOA objections. A ground mount usually solves the problem better.
Is an east/west roof better than north?
Almost always. East and west faces lose far less than north, and west-facing panels produce into the late afternoon, which lines up better with Xcel’s 5–9 pm on-peak window.
Will snow sit on north-facing panels all winter?
Longer than on south faces, since they get less direct sun to warm them. On a steep north roof in the foothills, expect snow to linger for days after a storm. Budget for lower winter output.