Remove Tiles on RooF?

[Ward L]

I'm getting quotes on a new home solar system. Two electrical contractors have recommended I remove the half-circle red clay tiles, put down a regular shingle roof, put up the panels and then put the red clay tiles back around the edges to make it look original again. The little looking around at other tile roof installs, it looks like the panels are put in over the roof tiles. The existing tile roof is about 6 years old and should last another 40 years. I'm thinking I'm dealing with electricians that don't like to mess with tile roofs. What is the best way to go when done with the right contractor?

[Volusiano]

You're guessing right. These electrical contractors are probably lazy and don't want to deal with walking on curved clay tiles (which is harder than walking on flat shingles) and take a chance on breaking them if they're not careful. It'll look funny because most likely people can still see the shingles under the panels at least around the edges, and the tile pattern will look discontinued from tiles to shingles.

How will the water flow from shingles back onto tiles again if the tiles are higher than the shingles? It won't. In that case, water will continue to flow underneath the tiles for the rest of the way down the roof, right on the underlayment. Which is OK, but that may wear out the underlayment faster.

There should be no reason why installers can't put panels above the tiles. It's done all the times by competent installers. Sure, they may break a few tiles. But they know better and they usually bring extra tiles to the work site to replace broken ones if any. That's no excuse to try to talk the homeowners to switch to shingles. The only one to gain from doing the shingles half-*ss switch is the lazy installer. At the homeowner's expense no less.

You should ask them what do YOU (the homeowner) gain by doing that? You'd just be wasting perfectly good tiles and paying extra for new shingles at the expense of your roof now looking funny and not fully functional anymore. For what? Convenience for the installers?

By the way, I have curved tiles myself and it was not even considered a question to be switching to shingles. What I did, however, since my roof is 17 years old already, was to hire a roofer to come in before the solar guys and put a new layer of underlayment in the area where the solar panels go on. That way, later, when I need to reroof, that part is already done and I don't need to remove the panels to reroof that part anymore.

[Ward L]

Thanks, has anyone actually removed tiles?

You're guessing right. These electrical contractors are probably lazy and don't want to deal with walking on curved clay tiles (which is harder than walking on flat shingles) and take a chance on breaking them if they're not careful. It'll look funny because most likely people can still see the shingles under the panels at least around the edges, and the tile pattern will look discontinued from tiles to shingles.

How will the water flow from shingles back onto tiles again if the tiles are higher than the shingles? It won't. In that case, water will continue to flow underneath the tiles for the rest of the way down the roof, right on the underlayment. Which is OK, but that may wear out the underlayment faster.

There should be no reason why installers can't put panels above the tiles. It's done all the times by competent installers. Sure, they may break a few tiles. But they know better and they usually bring extra tiles to the work site to replace broken ones if any. That's no excuse to try to talk the homeowners to switch to shingles. The only one to gain from doing the shingles half-*ss switch is the lazy installer. At the homeowner's expense no less.

You should ask them what do YOU (the homeowner) gain by doing that? You'd just be wasting perfectly good tiles and paying extra for new shingles at the expense of your roof now looking funny and not fully functional anymore. For what? Convenience for the installers?

By the way, I have curved tiles myself and it was not even considered a question to be switching to shingles. What I did, however, since my roof is 17 years old already, was to hire a roofer to come in before the solar guys and put a new layer of underlayment in the area where the solar panels go on. That way, later, when I need to reroof, that part is already done and I don't need to remove the panels to reroof that part anymore.

Thanks for the confirmation of my thinking. Wonder if anyone has actually replace the tiles with a shingle roof? I realized last night I have several vents on the roof I'm planning to put my panels on. I suppose it is best to route those vents to another section of the roof?

[J.P.M.]

Thanks for the confirmation of my thinking. Wonder if anyone has actually replace the tiles with a shingle roof? I realized last night I have several vents on the roof I'm planning to put my panels on. I suppose it is best to route those vents to another section of the roof?

FWIW, I'd check w/ the building dept. regs. for panel placement relative to vents, skylites, other roof penetrations etc., and other setback requirements such as ridge or other array perimeter setbacks for fire safety, at least in your state. Sometimes things slip thorough or get missed at plan check but a sharp/thorough inspector will usually catch them, with subsequent correction an added expense.

[Volusiano]

Thanks for the confirmation of my thinking. Wonder if anyone has actually replace the tiles with a shingle roof? I realized last night I have several vents on the roof I'm planning to put my panels on. I suppose it is best to route those vents to another section of the roof?

It depends on what kind of vent it is. If it's a plumbing pipe vent, they can just cut it down short enough to clear the panel. Same with a simple forced air fan vent from a bathroom. That's what they did in my situation.

If you have something more elaborate like a turbine roof ventilator, then yes, they'll probably have to work around it or reroute the vent.

[Ward L]

Good Idea, thanks1

It depends on what kind of vent it is. If it's a plumbing pipe vent, they can just cut it down short enough to clear the panel. Same with a simple forced air fan vent from a bathroom. That's what they did in my situation.

If you have something more elaborate like a turbine roof ventilator, then yes, they'll probably have to work around it or reroute the vent.

Thanks!

[J.P.M.]

It depends on what kind of vent it is. If it's a plumbing pipe vent, they can just cut it down short enough to clear the panel. Same with a simple forced air fan vent from a bathroom. That's what they did in my situation.

If you have something more elaborate like a turbine roof ventilator, then yes, they'll probably have to work around it or reroute the vent.

On the vent issue: It also depends on where you live. What's allowed/disallowed varies with jurisdiction. I'd still check w/ the building/permitting regs to be sure. An example: In San Diego, apparently different than some jurisdictions in AZ, solar arrays cannot cover plumbing vents. Also, existing vents must be terminate a minimum 6" above or 1ft. horizontally away from adjacent PV modules. I wouldn't be surprised if other CA areas where Ward L lives are similar. There's more to the vent thing, but my point is rules may and probably do change by jurisdiction, and a look before a leap or an unsubstantiated assumption is cheap insurance. I'm sure a reputable vendor will keep you out of trouble on such things.

[Ward L]

Clay or Cement Tiles make a difference?

Based on the input here I started telling installers I'm not taking my tile roof off and they need to figure the job over the tile roof. Just got back from talking to a SunCity booth at Home Depot. SunCity would install over a cement tile roof, but they will not install over a CLAY tile roof. The clay tiles are more fragile and they refuse to take on the liability of the install. Like so many things, when you get into the details, the answer may change. Do you still agree I should find an installer that will work with my clay tiles and not replace them with a new shingle roof? All ideas are welcome.

[J.P.M.]

Based on the input here I started telling installers I'm not taking my tile roof off and they need to figure the job over the tile roof. Just got back from talking to a SunCity booth at Home Depot. SunCity would install over a cement tile roof, but they will not install over a CLAY tile roof. The clay tiles are more fragile and they refuse to take on the liability of the install. Like so many things, when you get into the details, the answer may change. Do you still agree I should find an installer that will work with my clay tiles and not replace them with a new shingle roof? All ideas are welcome.

Clay or mission tile may be harder to work with, but I see jobs over clay tile every day - like the one next door to me. Such vendors do exist.

[Volusiano]

Based on the input here I started telling installers I'm not taking my tile roof off and they need to figure the job over the tile roof. Just got back from talking to a SunCity booth at Home Depot. SunCity would install over a cement tile roof, but they will not install over a CLAY tile roof. The clay tiles are more fragile and they refuse to take on the liability of the install. Like so many things, when you get into the details, the answer may change. Do you still agree I should find an installer that will work with my clay tiles and not replace them with a new shingle roof? All ideas are welcome.

Do you know whether your tile is clay or cement for sure? Most newer homes have cement tiles and while they may look like clay style tiles, they're actually cement.

[mxcraze]

I also got a quote and the solar co.They wants to remove my concrete flat tiles under the panels and replace them with composition asphalt shingles. They said it would make the panels look recessed in to the concrete tile. My concern is how the water get back on top of the concrete tiles. Has anyone gone with this type of installation?

[russ]

I also got a quote and the solar co.They wants to remove my concrete flat tiles under the panels and replace them with composition asphalt shingles. They said it would make the panels look recessed in to the concrete tile. My concern is how the water get back on top of the concrete tiles. Has anyone gone with this type of installation?

It doesn't - maybe look for a real solar installer?

[Volusiano]

I also got a quote and the solar co.They wants to remove my concrete flat tiles under the panels and replace them with composition asphalt shingles. They said it would make the panels look recessed in to the concrete tile. My concern is how the water get back on top of the concrete tiles. Has anyone gone with this type of installation?

I would have the same concern. You'll lose your first line of defense (the tiles or shingles) and now you'll rely on your second line of defense (the underlayment) to keep the water out of your roof. I would think that this may cause the underlayment to not last as long as expected.

You should probably steer clear of companies that want to do this. It shouldn't even be a consideration in the first place.

[mxcraze]

Thanks for your input. Out of 5 quotes only one wanted to do this type of install.

[inetdog]

My concern is how the water get back on top of the concrete tiles. Has anyone gone with this type of installation?

There are two reasonable ways they could go with that.

1. Install custom metal flashing at the bottom of the shingle roof section to carry the water back onto the tiles. If the slope of the roof is shallow, they could flash onto tiles one row down from the edge of the panels and then put the top row of tiles over the flashing.
2. Remove the tiles all the way to the bottom edge of the roof and put in proper shingles and flashing to that bottom, then set the tiles back on top of that for appearances and some protection.

Any way they do it will require attention to flashing at the sides of the array not just at the bottom.