We moved into our two storey, reconstituted stone-built, pitched-roof
house in April.

We decided early on to get as much of our energy as possible from
renewables.

A couple of weeks ago we signed up for a solar heating system. I've
looked at a few and this seems like a very good system.

The marketing wonk who visited us (who had obviously been in the pub
first) declared that our directly west-facing roof would be perfectly
adequate to site the panels. It is a very clear prospect as it faces a
flat field, and there are no trees in the line of sight.

However, when their surveyor came to measure up he said that the
west-facing roof was inadequate and the panels would have to be sited
on the gable-end wall (facing south).

I can't see how this would be an improvement. Even though the panels
would be angled away from the wall (mimicing the roof's pitch) they
would certainly be obscured by the angle of the roof for at least part
of the morning and part of the evening.

Am I wrong? The alternative, according to the surveyor, would be double
the number of panels with half on the east pitch and the other on the
west.

Many thanks

Will.