Replacing the roof of your home is a huge undertaking in and of itself, so adding any additional obstacles or processes simply adds to the complexity. If your roof has solar panels, you’ll need to take at least two more steps to replace it. Those who have solar energy systems installed on their rooftops have a lot of questions. Will you need to take down your panels in order to repair your roof? Will the roofers be able to remove the panels themselves, or will you have to contact your solar installer? Is it possible to incorporate solar mounting hardware right into your new roof?
How to assess if you need to replace your roof?
Many elements go into determining whether or not you need to rebuild your roof in order to install solar panels. For example, the type of roofing you have, how heavy it is, the state of your roof, and other factors all factor into the necessity for a replacement. Your best bet is to speak with a Solar Energy Specialists, who will assess your roof during your complimentary solar consultation.
There are a lot of factors that constitutes the deterioration of your roof, first would be it is one of our primary guards against the elements of nature, like the water from fain or snow, wind, and it being exposed to direct sunlight. Second would be aging, like every other thing our roofs ages and deteriorates. Before deciding to replace your roof you should always evaluate its condition.
Here are the steps in replacing your roof with solar panels
- Remove the solar panels
To rebuild your roof, you’ll have to take down your solar panels. This means you’ll lose access to your renewable energy for the length of your roof replacement, forcing you to rely solely on utility grid power for several days. As a result, costs will rise, so expect a bigger utility bill than usual. Be prepared for outages during panel removal and reinstallation because your power will most likely be out for at least a few minutes at a time. - Choose your new roof material
You might be tempted to switch to a new roof material when upgrading your roof. Not all roof materials use the same solar mounting brackets, whether it’s a more energy-efficient material, a more durable material, or a more affordable roofing material. If you change materials, you may need to replace your mounting gear, which can add thousands of dollars to your project’s ultimate cost. Consult your solar installers ahead of time to see if your new roofing material will work with your existing mounting hardware, and schedule delivery of your new mounting hardware before your roof repair is completed. - Hire roofers that works with solar panel installers
Although your roofers and solar installers may not operate directly together, they both provide a service that has a direct influence on your home and the roof over your head, so you’ll most likely need to act as a liaison between the two. Keep in mind that you are in charge of your project and should be able to dictate what gets done, how it gets done, and when it gets done. Choosing a roofer who is ready to work directly with your solar installation business can make your replacement a lot easier. Giving your solar installers your roofing company’s contact information and allowing the two companies to collaborate on your project will result in a speedier and less stressful project.
Replacing your roof with solar panels could be quite expensive and tedious. However, you should always keep in mind that you are investing into something long term and would save you money over the years.
To avoid going through this tedious process we also recommend to use portable solar panels that you could easily transfer to another place to harvest energy. This is to free your roof for repairs.