Does Renovessa use satellite or aerial imagery?

It may show licensed imagery and geospatial roof data when the configured provider covers the property. The capture date and source quality are shown when available.

Can the calculator see whether my roof needs replacement?

No. Roof age and material can be supplied by the homeowner, but condition and structural suitability require an on-site professional assessment.

What does a preliminary roof estimate mean?

It means key roof evidence was unavailable or supplied manually, so the result carries wider uncertainty and should not be treated as measured geometry.

Roof intelligence

Is my roof good for solar?

Roof potential is evidence, not a sales label. Renovessa uses available roof segments and panel positions, reports imagery and sunshine provenance, and withholds a rating when detailed property data are unavailable.

Editorial owner: Renovessa Research & ProductSubstantively reviewed September 2, 2026

Geospatial provenance and engineering-limit review complete.

What aerial analysis can tell you

Where coverage exists, the property analysis can describe roof planes, orientation, pitch, sunshine exposure, usable area and candidate panel positions. Selected panels retain their source relationship to the provider layout.

What it cannot approve

Aerial data does not certify structure, roof condition, waterproofing, fire setbacks, access pathways, attachment design, electrical capacity or code compliance. Parcel boundaries are not inferred from roof polygons. These remain installer and authority-having-jurisdiction checks.

A useful fallback when coverage is missing

You can describe roof faces and dimensions manually. Production can still be modeled, but the result is marked preliminary and no panel placement is represented as provider-observed. The confidence panel lists exactly what would improve the estimate.

Frequently asked questions

Does Renovessa use satellite or aerial imagery?: It may show licensed imagery and geospatial roof data when the configured provider covers the property. The capture date and source quality are shown when available.
Can the calculator see whether my roof needs replacement?: No. Roof age and material can be supplied by the homeowner, but condition and structural suitability require an on-site professional assessment.
What does a preliminary roof estimate mean?: It means key roof evidence was unavailable or supplied manually, so the result carries wider uncertainty and should not be treated as measured geometry.

Sources, review and limitations

Renovessa uses primary government, regulator, utility and model-provider sources. Links below are the evidence pack for this guide; account rules, funding and eligibility still require confirmation at decision time.

Google Maps Platform — Solar API methodology
Geospatial roof and solar-resource data reference; coverage is not available for every property.
NREL — PVWatts Calculator
Production-model reference. Renovessa records the model version used for each estimate.
U.S. Department of Energy — homeowner's guide to going solar
Federal consumer guidance on roof, quotes, ownership and project review.

Substantive change: Clarified provider-derived layout, parcel-boundary and site-verification limits.
Update policy: Review dates change only after the evidence or explanation is substantively checked—not automatically.

Educational planning information only. It is not a contractor proposal, engineering approval, utility determination, legal advice, tax advice or financial advice. Read the calculator methodology.