Do I Need a New Roof First?
Don't put new panels on an old roof. The 'Detach and Reset' cost can ruin your ROI. Follow the 10-Year Rule for roofing and solar.
You stand in the driveway. You look at your roof. It’s 15 years old. The shingles look... okay. A little faded, maybe.
The solar salesman says, "Oh, don't worry about it. It's got another 10 years left. Let's get these panels up."
The Trap Five years later, you see a wet spot on your ceiling. The roof is failing.
To fix the roof, you now have to deal with the solar panels. You can't just call a roofer. You have to call a solar crew to perform a Detach and Reset (D&R).
The Cost of Regret A D&R is expensive labor. 1. Crew comes out, removes 25 panels, and stacks them in your garage. ($1,500) 2. Roofer replaces the roof. 3. Solar crew comes back, reinstalls new flashings, and puts the panels back. ($2,000)
That is a $3,500 to $5,000 bill that you could have avoided. It eats up five years of your electricity savings in one day.
The 10-Year Rule If your asphalt shingle roof is older than 10 years, replace it. Period.
Solar panels last 25 years. You want the surface underneath them to last 25 years too. You want the two lifecycles to sync up.
Pro Tip From the Field "I do the 'Brittle Test' on every site survey. I go up the ladder, lift the corner of a shingle, and bend it.
- If it flexes: It's good.
- If it snaps or cracks: It's toast.
I have walked away from commissions because I refused to install on a trash roof. If an installer tells you it's fine without getting on a ladder to check, he is lying.
Also, ask about the 'Solar Combo'. Many roofing companies now have solar divisions. If you do the roof and solar together, they can install the mounting brackets while they lay the new shingles. It’s cleaner, watertight, and cheaper than doing it separately."
FAQ: Roof & Money
- Q: Can I claim the tax credit on the roof cost?
- A: Generally, NO. You can claim the credit on the solar panels and the labor to install them. You can maybe claim the cost of the decking/plywood directly under the panels if it was structurally necessary, but claiming the whole roof is tax fraud. Consult a CPA, not a salesman.
- Q: Does solar protect the roof?
- A: Yes! The shingles under the panels will look brand new in 20 years because they were shielded from UV rays and rain. It’s the rest of the roof that will rot.
- Q: What about metal roofs?
- A: Metal roofs last 50+ years. You almost never need to replace them before solar. They are the perfect match for solar."