Replace Your Roof Before Solar Panels in Arizona?
If your roof has less than about ten years of life left, you should replace your roof before solar panels go on it. Solar panels are built to sit there for 25 years or more. If the roof under them gives out in year eight, every panel has to come off, the roof gets replaced, and the panels go back on, and you pay for that twice. In Sun City and Sun City West, where a lot of homes have original tile underlayment and a lot of homeowners are signing solar contracts, this is the question I get asked most right now.
I am a roofer, not a solar salesman, so here is the straight version.
Why You Replace Your Roof Before Solar, Not After
A solar array is bolted through your roof into the rafters. Once it is up, nobody can work on the roof under it without removing the panels. Solar companies will do that, but it is a separate job with its own crew and its own bill, and it is not covered by the roof work. So the roof needs to be in shape to last as long as the panels, or close to it.
The other reason is warranty. Many solar installers will not put panels on a roof they consider near the end of its life, and some roofing warranties have language about penetrations. Getting the roof right first keeps everyone's paperwork clean.
What We Look at Before Solar Goes On
Before you sign the solar contract, get a real roof inspection from a roofer, not a drive-by from the solar company's installer. I am looking at:
• The age and condition of the underlayment on a tile roof, which is the part that actually keeps water out.
• Cracked, slipped or broken tiles that will be impossible to reach once the array is up.
• Brittle or heat-damaged shingles on a shingle roof.
• Flashing at vents, skylights and walls, because a panel array sends more water to the edges.
• Decking that is soft or has old leak stains from the attic side.
If the roof passes, great, the solar goes on. If it is borderline, we talk about replacing the section under the array at minimum.
Tile Roofs and the Comp-Out Option
Most of Sun City is tile, and tile adds a twist. Solar mounts on tile either use hooks that go under the tile or, more commonly here, the installer removes the tile where the array sits and roofs that area with composition shingle, then sets the panels on the shingle. That is called a comp-out. It is a solid method, but it means the underlayment under the rest of the tile still has to be sound, because the array only covers part of the roof.
If your tile roof is 20-plus years old, the underlayment is probably near the end, and the right move is a lift and relay before solar. I explained how that works in when tile roof underlayment needs to be replaced. Doing it first means the comp-out and the relay happen together, and the roof under the panels is brand new.
A Sun City West Home That Did It in the Right Order
A homeowner in Sun City West called us after a solar company had already quoted the panels. The roof was original tile from the early 2000s. We inspected it and found the underlayment cracking at the edges and a few slipped tiles over the garage. We did a full lift and relay, coordinated with the solar installer on where the array would land, and left that section ready for their mounts. The panels went on two weeks later on a roof that will outlast them. Had she done it the other way around, she would have been paying to pull panels within a few years.
The Honest Counterpoint
Not every roof needs to be replaced before solar. A newer shingle roof, a recently relayed tile roof, or a foam roof that has been recoated on schedule can take panels just fine. Replacing a sound roof because a salesman said so is a waste. That is exactly why the inspection comes first. We will tell you if your roof has the years left, and we will tell you if it does not.
Also, solar does not protect your roof. Panels shade the area under them, which helps a little with heat, but they also create new penetrations and new places for debris to collect. Plan on the array being looked at when the rest of the roof is.
Call Sun City Roofing Pros Before You Sign the Solar Contract
We are family owned, licensed and insured, and local to the West Valley. If you are deciding whether to replace your roof before solar, call us for an inspection first. We handle tile roofs, shingle, flat and metal, and a full roof replacement when that is the right answer. Call Sun City Roofing Pros at 623-335-4009.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old is too old for a roof to get solar panels?
A general rule is that the roof should have at least as many years left as the panels will be up there, or close to it. If a roofer gives it under ten years, replace or relay first.
Can solar panels go on a tile roof in Arizona?
Yes. Installers either use tile hooks or comp out the area under the array with shingle. Either way, the underlayment across the roof needs to be sound first.
Do solar panels damage the roof?
Not when they are installed well on a sound roof. Problems come from mounting on tired underlayment or brittle shingles, where every penetration becomes a future leak.
Contact Sun City Roofing Pros
Sun City Roofing Pros
9885 W Union Hills Dr
Suite 8
Sun City, AZ 85373
Phone: 623-335-4009
Stay connected with Sun City Roofing Pros for roofing tips, project updates, and helpful information for property owners and contractors across the Phoenix area.
Follow Sun City Roofing Pros Online:
