Many of our clients are concerned about roof damage with solar panel installation. We can understand. As a roofer, we have seem some horribly botched solar installations completely destroy an otherwise perfectly installed roofing system. Leaks are a major concern. Worse, this can void roof warranties in certain situations.
Solar installers will drill holes in your roof (for pitched roof installations) and use lag bolts to attach the solar racking, which holds your solar panels in place into the structural members of the home. This is where the holes occur in your roof during solar installation primarily. Many solar installers do not know how to properly water seal their installations.
Holes in a roof are never good. However, if your solar installer works closely with your licensed roofer, these holes can be properly addressed, and addressed in a way where the roof warranty can be maintained.
Appropriate sealants, sealant pattern, and proper flashings must be used properly in conjunction with one another to provide water tightness. This comes with experience and complete knowledge of the roofing system and the roofing layers being worked with.
If installing solar or considering it, reach out to your licensed roofer for advice. Better yet, have the solar system installed by a company that handles both roofing installation and solar installation, to ensure full compliance, proper installation, and proper water tightness to guarantee the warranty will remain intact. EverGuard Roofing and EverGuard Solar work hand in hand to make sure this is a seamless, simple process for the homeowner that is done correctly the first time.