Roof loading

Roof loading is the load a roof structure must safely carry, including its own materials, imposed loads such as snow and any added equipment, mounting system or ballast. In home energy work it appears most often when solar PV, flat-roof mounting or roof-mounted outdoor equipment adds weight, point loads or wind-uplift forces to an existing building. The term matters because the roof and fixings may need a structural assessment, wind-loading calculation or manufacturer-specific mounting design before equipment is installed. It is not a single acceptable weight or a planning-permission shortcut; whether a roof can take extra load depends on the roof construction, condition, existing covering, location, mounting method and qualified structural assessment.