Rooftop Solar Installations: The Responsibility of the Roofing Contractor Advanced Roofing Inc., Ft. Lauderdale Powering a home or business with the sun is becoming increasingly popular in the Sunshine State and beyond. Reduced energy costs coupled with tax incentives make it a financially viable option for many, not to mention the benefits of being a socially responsible company by reducing your carbon footprint, which attracts customers and potential employees. Rooftop solar energy systems will typically last around 30 years, so it’s important for roofing contractors to make sure a roof is ready to protect their client’s building for years to come. A major issue in the marketplace is disreputable solar contractors selling solar through financing mechanisms like PACE, which allows a property owner to finance the up-front cost and pay it back over time through a voluntary property tax assessment, without assessing the viability of the rooftop. As of 2016, 40 percent of new solar installations on existing roofs resulted in damage to the roof itself. Roof leaks and vent pipe flashing are a few of the common problems that have occurred after solar panels were installed by unqualified contractors. This opens owners up to the possibility of the roof system failing several years into the life of the new solar array, causing additional and unexpected costs associated with the removal and re-installation of the solar array following a roof replacement. A few other common issues encountered when installing solar include: ■ lack of conditions inspection by a qualified roofing company to measure the worthiness of the rooftop for a solar installation. ■ not meeting code requirements for
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FLORIDA ROOFING | August 2020
solar attachments and a lack of municipality inspections. ■ poor quality of attachment details for solar racking systems: putting racking systems on your roof not only alters a core part of the home or commercial property, but there are parts of the installation process that put the roof at risk if done incorrectly, potentially causing roof leaks and system failures. ■ roofing systems that should last 20 years are deteriorating faster due to installing solar on roofs with less than optimal service life remaining. ■ owners are securing PACE financing for old roofs, which are then ruined when faulty contractors cut up the roofing system, leaving owners with no money to pay for a new system. ■ lack of communications between the owner, solar contractor, product manufacturer, roofing contractor and the city leads to many additional issues. So how do owners protect their roofs while making the switch to solar? Just like any major project, choosing the right service provider is essential to a rooftop solar installation. The commercial system is much different than your average residential system and requires a different approach. Installing the right components can help ensure home and business owners receive their anticipated return on investment. This provides a great opportunity for roofing contractors to lead by solving problems before they become issues. Be sure to keep in mind the long-term implications to a roofing system in addition to evaluating if its current state is suitable for solar. Remember, all systems
