Removing and Reinstalling Solar Panels for a New Roof

Maybe a storm tore off shingles, the roof is aging faster than expected, or you bought a home with solar already on it. Whatever the reason, the roof under your panels needs work. The panels will come off, but the job is routine when the right people handle it.

This article walks through why the panels come off, what happens step by step, how long you'll be offline, and how to protect your warranties. For the bigger picture on roofs and solar, see our guide to solar and your roof.

Why do solar panels have to come off before reroofing?

A roofer can't replace shingles they can't reach. Your panels sit on racking that is bolted through the roof into the rafters, and every attachment is flashed and sealed. To tear off old shingles and lay down new underlayment, the panels, racking and attachments all have to come off that part of the roof.

Working around the panels isn't a real option. Patching shingles at the edges of an array leaves the worn roofing underneath in place, and that is usually where trouble starts. CertainTeed, the shingle maker, puts it plainly: panels only last as long as the roof they sit on.

The timing gap is why this comes up so often. Solar panels last 25 to 35 years on average, according to a Berkeley Lab survey cited by the Department of Energy. Many existing asphalt roofs don't. InterNACHI puts 3-tab shingles at about 20 years and architectural shingles at about 30, so a roof that already had some age on it when the panels went up can wear out partway through their life.

What happens during solar panel removal and reinstallation?

The details vary by home, but the order is the same on nearly every project:

1. Inspection and planning. The crew looks at the roof and the solar system, notes the condition of the panels and wiring, and decides whether the whole roof or just a section needs replacing.
2. Safe shutdown. A qualified electrician or solar technician shuts the system down and disconnects it before anyone touches the panels. On our projects, that's the job of our solar team, which includes a master electrician.
3. Removal and storage. Panels, wiring and racking come off, and everything is labeled and stored safely until it goes back up.
4. Roof work. The roofer tears off the old roofing, repairs any damaged decking, and installs new underlayment and shingles.
5. Racking reattached and flashed. The solar crew bolts the mounts back into the rafters and flashes and seals each one into the new roof, so water runs over it instead of into it.
6. Panels reinstalled and reconnected. The panels go back on the racking and are rewired.
7. Testing, permits and inspection. The system is tested, any required town inspection is completed, and the system is switched back on. If you have a monitoring app, it should show production again once it is.

Evergreen Solar handles the permits and inspections on these projects, so you don't have to juggle paperwork with the town.

How long will your solar be offline?

With Evergreen Solar, the system is usually offline for only a day or two, depending on the size of the system and how complex the roof is. The panels come down, the roof goes on, and the panels go back up with as little gap as possible.

Planning ahead makes that window matter even less. If your roof isn't an emergency, schedule the work when your panels make less power anyway, like a short stretch in late fall or winter, so the lost production is smaller. If a storm caused the damage, protecting the house comes first and the schedule follows.

Do you need a full roof or just the section under the panels?

Not every roof with solar needs a full replacement. If the rest of the roof is in good shape, the section or slope under the panels can often be reroofed on its own. That's the part that's hard to reach later, so it makes sense to fix it while the panels are off.

A partial reroof usually makes sense when:

• The damage or wear is limited to the slope under the array.
• The other slopes are newer or in clearly better condition.
• Matching shingles for color and style is possible, so the roof doesn't look patched.

A full replacement is the better call when the whole roof is near the end of its life. Taking the panels down twice, once now and again in a few years when the other slopes fail, costs more than doing it once.

Who should remove and reinstall your solar panels?

You need two skills: roofing and solar. Many roofing companies won't touch solar panels, and the electrical side of the job belongs with a licensed electrician or solar technician. That leaves two common approaches.

If you hire separately, get both companies talking before work starts, and confirm who reseals the roof mounts. That's where gaps in responsibility tend to show up.

Evergreen Solar handles the whole job for homes that already have solar. Our solar team removes and reinstalls the system, and our roofing partner, Global Roofing, a CertainTeed Select ShingleMaster, replaces the roof with CertainTeed shingles. See our roof replacement service for homes with solar panels to start a project.

How do you keep your warranties intact?

There are two sets of warranties in play: the one on your solar system and the one on your roof. Before anyone climbs a ladder, read both. Some solar warranties set rules about who may remove or reinstall the equipment, and roof warranties care about how penetrations through the roof are sealed.

Done correctly, removal and reinstallation shouldn't cost you coverage. Our process is designed to keep your warranties intact. Our post on whether solar panels void a roof warranty covers the roof side in more depth.

If your system is leased or under a power purchase agreement, the company that owns it has to be part of the plan. With a lease or PPA, the system owner usually handles maintenance and repairs, which is one of the perks for you. Check your contract to see how it handles removal for roof work, and call the owner early so the schedule works for everyone. Our article on solar panel maintenance explains what the system owner covers.

Can you add panels or a battery while they're off?

Yes, and it's a good moment to ask. Your system was designed around your electric use when you first went solar. If you've since added an electric vehicle or a heat pump, your system may not keep up anymore, and with the roof open and the crew already there, adding panels fits naturally into the project.

The same goes for a battery. A battery stores solar power for use at night or during an outage, and the wiring work can often happen while the system is already shut down. Ask about it during the inspection, so the new equipment is part of the design from the start.

Questions about your roof and your panels? Call us at (508) 507-2908, and we'll look at what your roof needs and how to get your system back up quickly.

Frequently asked questions