People often have questions about the resulting state of their roof when installing solar panels. Will solar panels damage your roof? It’s natural to have concerns about whether the added weight and penetrations could harm your roof over time. Fortunately, Zone 5 takes steps to ensure your roof comes through the process unscathed.

A proper solar mounting system is engineered to distribute weight safely across your roof.

The panels do not mount directly into the roof. Instead, the installers mount the panels on aluminum rails, which in turn are mounted directly onto the trusses of the roof. Each point of contact receives flash sealing to prevent any weather or moisture intrusion.

With Zone 5’s installation techniques, your roof emerges structurally intact and protected from leaks. The only penetrations are a few anchor attachment points, sealed for waterproofing. We take every precaution to avoid any damage to your home.

Some homeowners worry that the additional load from solar arrays may overburden their roofs. But solar racking systems add less than 3 to 5 pounds per square foot on average. This is well within safety limits for residential rooftops.

By comparison, asphalt shingles alone weigh 2 to 4 pounds per square foot. Include roof decking and rafters, and the total load before solar is around 10 pounds per square foot. So a solar system may increase overall weight by less than half of the existing roof materials.

With proper solar mounting, the weight gets evenly distributed across the surface area. So no single point bears the entire load.

Today’s solar panels are extremely durable, rated to withstand winds up to 160 mph and impacts from large hailstones. With a low profile, they act almost like an additional shield over your roof, shielding shingles from UV rays and temperature swings. This protects against cracking, blistering and curling issues over time.

A national study by the National Renewable Energy Lab found that solar arrays extend roof life by reducing wear and tear. Overall, the panels furnish extra protection as they harness the sun’s rays for clean energy.

Zone 5 stands behind our installations with a 10-year workmanship warranty. This guarantees that any improper or substandard work will get corrected at no cost to you. We also provide a 5-year warranty covering any leaks caused by solar attachments. On top of that, our contract outlines that Zone 5 will repair or pay for any damage to your property that were caused as a result of installation.

With Zone 5’s installation process and warranties, you can rest assured your roof will be safe and protected during and after the transition to solar freedom. To see if your home is qualified for the amazing savings of solar power, schedule your free Home Efficiency Report!