When you’re thinking about installing solar shingles on your roof, Luma Solar is one of the top-rated solar roof companies on the market.
Luma Solar introduced solar shingles to the roofing industry back in 2007, developing the first fully integrated solar rooftop shingle system in the world.
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Company Details
Luma Solar is a luxury solar roof company that produces solar shingle systems.
This company is renowned for its custom, award-winning, and patented integrated solar roof. The company was founded in 2007, and it has been the leading solar shingle brand ever since.
As a luxury brand, Luma Solar offers the only upgradable solar shingle system on the market.
While regular solar shingles can produce between 13 and 64 watts, each Luma Solar shingle can generate a maximum of 80 watts of energy. Their operating temperature ranges from minus 40 to 185 F.
Each shingle measures 54.37 x 15.62 inches, of which 52.5 x 14.65 inches are exposed to sunlight.
Luma solar shingles are made from high-quality monocrystalline cells and galvalume-coated steel sheets.
These solar shingles are installed like regular shingles, so there is no need to take extra steps in the preparation process.
Luma solar shingles are extremely durable and three times as strong as traditional roof tiles.
They’re constructed to withstand category 5+ hurricanes (that’s 200-mile-per-hour-plus winds) and other extreme weather conditions, including salt exposure. This is key for those with homes on the coasts of the U.S. who want to go solar.
Luma Solar shingles are designed by roofing industry experts with more than 50 years of installation experience.
Did you know? Luma Solar was the first company to develop a solar shingle system, and it’s one of the most popular solar roof companies in the U.S., along with Tesla, SunTegra, CertainTeed, and GAF Timberline.
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Luma Solar Shingles Average Cost
Since Luma Solar is a luxury brand, you can expect to pay a considerable amount for your custom-made solar shingled roof. But as mentioned, it is currently the only one that’s upgradable.
If you want to hire Luma Solar to design and install solar shingles on your roof, the first step is to order a base study. It costs $300 for residential projects, while the price varies for commercial roofs.
Once you have chosen the ideal Luma Solar shingle system, the next step is to schedule an installation. Due to high demand, this must be done at least 60 days in advance.
The national average price of installing Luma solar shingles ranges from $15,000 to $25,000 for the entire project. This is the price for an average-sized, single-story American home with between 1,500 square feet and 2,000 square feet of roof area.
To be more precise, an average kilowatt system, which is 4 kilowatts in the U.S., would cost around $33,000 to install.
Electrician fees aren’t included in this price. So if you want to buy a Luma Solar shingle system, be prepared to pay $10,000 to $15,000 more than you would pay for other brands.
| Luma Solar Shingles | Cost |
|---|---|
| Base Study – Residential | $300 |
| Project Cost – Approx. 1,500-Square-Foot Roof | $33,000 |
| Price per Installed Watt | $4.50-$6 |
Luma Solar Shingles Cost Breakdown
Luma Solar roofs are priced at $4.50 to $6.00 per installed watt. If you have a complex roof that isn’t easily accessed, the price can increase to $10 per installed watt.
How much you can expect to pay for the entire installation depends on several factors, including the size and pitch of your roof, the time of the year, your home’s location, and the current state of your roof.
Since Luma Solar shingles are three times stronger than regular roofing tiles, you won’t have to set aside a lot of money for maintenance.
So, while a Luma Solar roof is a large investment, it can be expected to pay off in more ways than one.
It’s challenging to compare these prices because installing solar shingles is like installing regular shingles. It’s a demanding and time-consuming job that often requires removing the old shingles first.
That’s why it’s recommended to install solar shingles if you are already planning to replace your roof. Not only will you get a new roof, but it will be energy-efficient as well.
Cost per sq. ft.
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How Does The Luma Solar Roof Warranty Work?
Luma Solar offers warranties for their shingles:
- A limited lifetime metal shingle warranty
- A 5-year product warranty
- A 25-year power output warranty
The limited lifetime warranty applies to Luma Solar’s metal roof shingle base.
The 5-year product warranty pertains to the power cells on top.
The limited and product warranties cover material and manufacturing defects.
The power output warranty relates to the 80 watts of power output per cell, meaning that level of output should last 25 years.
Adding Energy Storage To A Luma Solar Roof
Another thing you should know about Luma Solar shingle systems is that they’re compatible with upgradable energy storage systems.
Did you know? Solar energy can be stored and saved for future use with mechanical, thermal, and battery storage systems. The most common method for storing solar energy is batteries. Solar batteries are used for storing solar power so that power can be used later, such as when it’s cloudy or dark outside.
Luma Solar is partnered with top-rated home energy and battery backup solutions, such as Generac PWRCell, Enphase, LG Chem, and Sonnen.
Be sure to find a solar battery that offers sufficient capacity for your home’s energy needs.
Obviously, a battery with higher capacity will be needed for a fully off-grid home compared to a solar array meant to supplement the main power source.
While solar batteries are useful to have, it is possible to install a solar shingled system without one.
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Luma Solar Shingles Pros And Cons
If you’re interested in installing Luma Solar shingles, here are the pros and cons you’ll want to know.
The Pros of Luma Solar Shingles:
The most important pros of Luma Solar shingles are that they’re custom-design for each roof and are upgradable, they only require a simple installation, they deliver powerful performance, and they make your roof stronger.
- Custom and upgradable – Not only are Luma Solar roofs custom-made, but they’re the only solar shingle system that can be upgraded. Considering that photovoltaic technology is constantly being developed, the option to upgrade your solar cells is a huge plus.
- Simple installation – Solar shingles are designed just like regular shingles. Luma Solar shingles incorporate a single-hole installation system. In other words, only one hole is required for the wires of each shingle to go through the roof deck.
- Powerful performance – Made with built-in photovoltaic (PV) cells, these solar shingles offer a high conversion efficiency, which leads to powerful output performance. To be more specific, Luma Solar’s efficiency rating is 22.1%, which is one of the highest in the industry.
- Beautiful appearance and seamless design – Luma Solar shingles visually improve your roof and home. You can even combine Luma Solar shingles with non-solar metal shingles. In fact, their design allows them to be integrated with any roofing material.
- Resistance – Luma Solar shingles can resist winds of up to 200 miles per hour, and they have a 5+ hurricane rating. In addition, these shingles are effective in all weather conditions, even in low lighting and temperature and salt exposure. Luma Solar shingles have been tested for fire and electrical safety, so they are also compliant with UL standards.
Did you know? As opposed to other solar shingles, which can produce between 13 and 64 watts of energy, Luma Solar shingles have a maximum output of 80 watts. Four to five Luma Solar shingles are all that are needed to replace one large traditional solar panel.
The Cons of Luma Solar Shingles:
The cons of Luma Solar shingles include their price, their product warranty, and for some homeowners, the wait time to get the solar roof installed.
- Expensive – As with all luxury brands, Luma Solar shingles are some of the priciest on the market. Taking into consideration that Luma Solar is more expensive than the industry average, many homeowners might not be able to afford this solar shingle brand’s upfront costs (rebates and refunds from municipalities and the federal government could help offset the costs, but only after installation and use).
- Short limited product warranty – While Luma Solar’s 25-year limited power output warranty is reasonable, its 5-year product warranty is quite short compared to other leading brands.
- Long wait time – There’s currently a two-month wait time from first inspection to installation completion at the time of this writing.
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Luma Solar Shingle Reviews
Luma Solar has a specific target audience, usually homeowners who can afford to live in luxury homes. That’s the reason their reviews are mostly positive.
But Luma Solar offers so much more than just exclusivity.
Luma solar shingles are durable, highly effective, and custom-made. They can be upgraded.
Luma solar shingles also offer many unique features, like compatibility with other roofing materials and energy storage systems.
As positive as their reviews might be, there’s no denying that their pricing is out of reach for many homeowners.
Luma Solar vs Tesla Solar Roof
Luma Solar and Tesla are the two most popular solar roof companies in the U.S.
Unlike Luma Solar, which introduced solar shingles in 2007, Tesla didn’t start manufacturing solar roof products until 2016.
Since Tesla is a well-known brand name, it also has a waiting period for first-time clients.
Both Tesla and Luma Solar offer 25-year limited lifetime warranties for their products, but Tesla’s solar shingles come with protection against outages.
This integrated battery system is called Powerwall, which can be used to store energy to power your home during an outage, giving you 24/7 energy independence.
Tesla is actually more affordable than Luma Solar, with a solar shingle per installed watt of around $2.11. This price is twice as affordable as what Luma Solar has to offer.
On the other hand, Luma Solar is more flexible than Tesla.
If you want to replace a part of your roof, Luma Solar’s shingles can be installed with other roofing materials. But Tesla only offers solar roofing solutions for those looking to replace their entire roof.
It’s also important to mention that Luma Solar shingles have a higher efficiency rating of 22.1%, while Tesla shingles have an efficiency of around 18% to 20%.
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Luma Solar Shingles vs GAF Solar
Both of these roofing companies manufacture high-quality solar shingles.
Both Luma Solar and GAF shingles are made from monocrystalline cells, but GAF solar shingles weigh less.
GAF solar shingles are designed for easy installation, and they were named the first “nailable” solar energy shingles. They’re also water-shedding shingles that can withstand winds of up to 130 miles per hour.
GAF solar shingles come with a 25-year limited warranty against material and manufacturing defects.
Did you know? While Luma Solar Shingles can be installed with other roofing materials, GAF Timberline solar shingles are only sold for complete roof replacements. In other words, you won’t be able to buy them for an existing roof.
What also sets them apart is their maximum power output.
While Luma Solar shingles can produce up to 80 watts of energy, GAF solar shingles can only generate 45 watts.
GAF’s low wattage indicates that you would need to install a larger number of shingles to meet your home’s energy needs.
Luma Solar Shingles vs CertainTeed Solar Shingles
CertainTeed is a popular roofing shingles brand that also offers integrated solar shingles.
Apart from solar shingles, CertainTeed offers solar panels and solar tiles.
CertainTeed’s Apollo II solar roofing system is durable, weather-proof, and aesthetically pleasing.
What’s also great about CertainTeed solar shingles is that they can be installed on either new or existing roofs.
CertainTeed and Luma Solar shingles come with 25-year limited warranties on the power output.
In terms of pricing, you can only find out how much Apollo II solar shingles cost if you fill out a form on their website. It’s highly likely they’re more affordable than Luma Solar shingles.
Keep in mind that CertainTeed solar products can only be installed on asphalt-shingled roofs.
If you have a tile, metal, or wooden roof, you won’t be able to install CertainTeed solar shingles.
As opposed to Luma Solar shingles, which have an energy efficiency of 22.1%, CertainTeed solar shingles can only produce 15.4% of energy.
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Luma Solar Shingles vs Panels
When homeowners want to install a solar roof, they currently have two main options: solar shingles and solar panels.
What these two solar roofing solutions have in common is that they both have the same goal – to convert solar energy into electricity. By doing so, your solar roof will reduce your energy bills by 40% to 70%.
Since solar panels are larger, they have a great power output. Solar shingles are smaller, which makes them less energy-efficient than solar panels.
You can either install a smaller number of solar panels for a higher price or install more shingles for a lower price.
Due to the fact that solar shingles are still relatively new on the market, they are less readily available than solar panels, which have been around for a longer time.
Another major difference is the installation process.
If you want to install solar shingles, you will have to remove the old ones.
When installing solar panels, you wouldn’t have to remove your old shingles. The panels go on top of them.
When it comes to price, installing solar shingles costs more than panels. The reason behind this is the installation process.
It takes much more time and labor to install solar shingles. Naturally, the more complex the installation, the higher the installation expenses.
Perhaps not as important as their efficiency or durability, their appearance can also be a factor to consider. Solar shingles are less bulky, so they look much better on a roof.
When Do Solar Roof Shingles Make Sense?
Homeowners opt for solar shingles when they want to avoid installing large solar panels.
While solar panels are attached on top of your existing roof structure, solar shingles are installed to the structure itself. In other words, solar shingles become the roof.
Whether you should install solar shingles or solar panels depends on a few factors.
If you are looking to replace your roof’s shingles either way, solar shingles will pay off more since they install like regular shingles. But if you want to install new shingles and add panels on top of them, those are two separate installations, which are both pricy.
If you want to add a solar shingle system to your existing roof, adding solar panels makes more sense. You won’t have to remove your shingles to add the panels.
Another factor to consider is how much direct sunlight your house receives every day.
Some states are better candidates for solar power because they have more sunny days per year. The best states for solar power include Florida, Texas, California, Arizona, North Carolina, Nevada, and Georgia.
If you live in colder states that don’t receive much sunlight, like Alaska, Kentucky, North Dakota, South Dakota, and West Virginia, installing solar shingles wouldn’t make as much sense.
Pro Tip: Keep in mind that installing solar shingles costs more than installing solar panels. You’ll need more shingles than panels to reach the maximum energy output, since roof shingles have a lower wattage.
Invest In Luma Solar For High-Efficiency Solar Power
Luma Solar is a leading solar roofing brand that installs high-quality, weather-resistant solar shingles.
With Luma Solar shingles, you can expect supreme power output even on days when there is little sunlight.
Even though this luxury brand is on the high end of the price scale, investing in these solar shingles will surely pay off in the long run.
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For over 20 years Leo has run a successful roofing business in New England, specializing in metal roofing, as well as cool flat roofing technologies. Having replaced and installed hundreds of roofs in New England, Leo has first hand experience with pretty much every residential roofing material and roofing manufacturer available in the US.
Is Luma still in business? I can’t seem to find any contact information other than the website which provides no opportunity for two way communication. Is it just a dead website? Thanks