Do not assume the roofing proposal includes solar work
Identify the solar owner, installer or service company, roofing contractor, electrical responsibility, manufacturer or warranty administrator, and any utility or program requirements. Each agreement should name its own scope.
Ask whether the array must be completely removed, temporarily lifted, stored on site, transported, redesigned, or updated before reinstallation.
Document the roof before and after removal
- Array layout and equipment identification
- Attachment and flashing locations
- Existing leaks, repairs, and roof condition
- Wiring, conduit, roof penetrations, and junctions
- Components removed, stored, replaced, or damaged
- New roof product and attachment requirements
- Reinstallation testing and completion records
Protect both roof and solar warranties
Existing coverage may prescribe who can remove equipment, which attachments and flashings are approved, how work is documented, and when notice is required. Review those conditions before authorizing work.
A later leak near an attachment can create finger-pointing. The agreements should define inspection, notice, diagnosis, and responsibility rather than leaving coordination to a verbal promise.
Build one schedule
Roof work may depend on solar availability, electrical steps, permits, inspections, weather, roof material, and utility procedures. Include time for removal, roof inspection, concealed changes, roofing, curing or waiting requirements, reinstallation, testing, and final documentation.
Sequence is the whole decision
| Situation | Sensible order |
|---|---|
| Roof near end of life, solar planned | Replace the roof first, then install |
| Roof recently replaced, solar planned | Install, with mounts and flashing suited to the covering |
| Array already installed, roof failing | Get removal and reinstall priced by the solar installer first |
| Standing seam, solar planned | Seam-clamped mounts often avoid penetrations entirely |
| Asphalt mid-life, solar planned | Weigh remaining life against a future removal cycle |
Who warrants the penetrations
On asphalt, every mount penetrates the covering, and each penetration is a flashing detail. That makes the solar installer's flashing work part of your roof's performance — and it is where responsibility gets murky. If a leak appears at a mount, whose problem is it?
Establish before installation who warrants the penetrations, what the roofing warranty says about third-party attachments, who removes and reinstalls the array if roof work is ever needed, and who you call first. Getting that in writing while both parties want your business is far easier than afterwards.
Published August 13, 2026 and last reviewed August 16, 2026 by Greater Burlington Roofing. General roofing information; an on-site inspection is required for property-specific recommendations.