What age of shingles should you have them replaced before installing solar?

[coolslidder]

My home was built in 2010, so the asphalt shingles are almost 9 years old. Should I have the shingles replaced before having a solar system installed on my roof?

I had a friend who is a roofer inspect my roof and he guessed the shingles have about 10 years left before needing to be replaced.




Option A: Replace shingles now for $3k (CAD), have the solar system installed, be good for 25 years




Option B: Install solar panels on existing shingles, in 10 years or so have the solar system removed, replace shingles, re-mount the solar panels. The need to remove and re-install the panels will be an added cost to have done.




For further background I am looking at a 7.2 kW system (Canadian Solar panels, APSystem inverters) for $17k CAD before rebates, and $13k CAD after rebates. I have the budget for the $3k roof if that is the recommended way to proceed.

[J.P.M.]

Tough call. How much longer to you intend to live in the home ?

If maybe < 10 yrs. the call gets tougher from the ethical standpoint of saddling a buyer with a likely new roof.

I'd have a hard time believing you will be able to get a 7.2 kW system un- and re-installed for $3K.

Does that $3K for the roof replacement cover only the area where the array will be or the entire roof ?

Just me, but since I like sleeping at night, including when it rains, I'd get that part of the roof that will be under the array replaced before the array is installed and leave the rest of the roof maint. for future remediation as necessary. Call it cheap insurance. Besides, a roof is the last place I'd cheap out or gamble with respect to integrity or service life. Also, chances are whoever would service your roof in 10 years won't be knowledgeable with respect to PV. Those are not the folks you want dismantling and reassembling an array. Too much can go wrong.

[Ampster]

One advantage of coordinating the solar install with the new roof is you might be able to save some money. If you have the solar installer place the the mounting hardware on you roof before the new roof then the roofer will warranty the roof for leaks. The solar installer may give you a discount because he will not have any roof warranty risks. In any event the part of your roof under the panels will last a lot longer because that part will be shaded and not exposed to the ray's of the sun.

[J.P.M.]

In any event the part of your roof under the panels will last a lot longer because that part will be shaded and not exposed to the ray's of the sun.

You know that for a fact, right ?

A couple of other things among many that might have escaped your purview :

Ice dams and irregular melt of array caused snow buildup can be more severe on roof portions below arrays.

And another dirty little secret: Because the roof under an array will not see much, if any, solar irradiance, it will also not have any advantage of solar drying, making the environment under the array more prone to mold and possible rot. Happens in my HOA some, particularly with arrays that don't have much roof to array clearance.

[coolslidder]

Tough call. How much longer to you intend to live in the home ?

If maybe < 10 yrs. the call gets tougher from the ethical standpoint of saddling a buyer with a likely new roof.

I am 37 and we plan on being here for the rest of our lives.

I'd have a hard time believing you will be able to get a 7.2 kW system un- and re-installed for $3K.

Agreed

Does that $3K for the roof replacement cover only the area where the array will be or the entire roof ?

The $3k is for the entire 40'x26' south facing side of my roof

Just me, but since I like sleeping at night, including when it rains, I'd get that part of the roof that will be under the array replaced before the array is installed and leave the rest of the roof maint. for future remediation as necessary. Call it cheap insurance. Besides, a roof is the last place I'd cheap out or gamble with respect to integrity or service life. Also, chances are whoever would service your roof in 10 years won't be knowledgeable with respect to PV. Those are not the folks you want dismantling and reassembling an array. Too much can go wrong.

Yeah, that is a good way to look at it as cheap insurance. If the south side of my roof will need to be redone in say 10 years, it is really about advancing the spend of $3k. Say I could earn 4% after taxes on that same money for 10 years if I invested it, that $3k would turn into $4,270 over that period, so I would gain $1,270. The cost of pulling down and re-installing the solar panels will be greater that $1,270. So it seams I should spend the money now and get it dealt with and hopefully have 25 years of worry free solar. Does my approach seem reasonable?

[Mike90250]

If there is only 10 years left, do them both now . Have the roofer co-ordinate with the solar and do them together.

[Ampster]

You know that for a fact, right ?

Fact? No just speculative opinion, based on experience in Southern California, Your mileage may vary.

A couple of other things among many that might have escaped your purview :

Ice dams and irregular melt of array caused snow buildup can be more severe on roof portions below arrays.

And another dirty little secret: Because the roof under an array will not see much, if any, solar irradiance, it will also not have any advantage of solar drying, making the environment under the array more prone to mold and possible rot. Happens in my HOA some, particularly with arrays that don't have much roof to array clearance.

There are many advantages to having sufficient clearance between the roof and array. One of those is air circulation to cool the panels. That air circulation would also reduce the possibility of moisture remaining under the panels.

If your HOA is having issues with mold and rot on their roofs they may need to examine their roof composition relative to the environment of that location. If the rot you are talking about is dry rot and the rot is in the structural members of the roof itself then there is a failure of the waterproofing because the wood structure should not be getting wet if it is properly waterproofed. I don't know of any roofing materials that are subject to rot. Cedar shingles? Composition shingles? Tile? What are the roofing materials used in your HOA?

[Ampster]

.............Does my approach seem reasonable?

Yes, and while you are getting quotes have you considered getting a quote for a 30 or 40 year roof. There are manufacturers of roofing products that make those guarantees about their products. That of course may also depend on the slope of your roof and other factors like local weather. My comment is based on your statement that you were planning on being there for the rest of your life.

[peakbagger]

On my asphalt shingle roof located in the Northeast, it is quite noticeable that the shingles under the array seem to be lasting longer than the ones next to it.

I put down ice and water shield under the entire roof when I redid it prior to the panels going down. In this case the shingles just act as physical protection for the underlying membrane. In my area almost every commercial roof is done that way as it also stops ice damming. The other reason is it allows the framing and sheathing crew to lay it down and walk away without worrying about coordinating with the roofing crew. Between ice and water shield on the roof and zip board on the walls, the house is basically tight to weather when the framing and sheathing crew walks away and provides a secondary moisture barrier after the roofing and siding is put on.

[Paul Land]

My home was built in 2010, so the asphalt shingles are almost 9 years old. Should I have the shingles replaced before having a solar system installed on my roof?

I had a friend who is a roofer inspect my roof and he guessed the shingles have about 10 years left before needing to be replaced.




Option A: Replace shingles now for $3k (CAD), have the solar system installed, be good for 25 years




Option B: Install solar panels on existing shingles, in 10 years or so have the solar system removed, replace shingles, re-mount the solar panels. The need to remove and re-install the panels will be an added cost to have done.




For further background I am looking at a 7.2 kW system (Canadian Solar panels, APSystem inverters) for $17k CAD before rebates, and $13k CAD after rebates. I have the budget for the $3k roof if that is the recommended way to proceed.

Depends, Do you have 20 year, 30 year or 50 year asphalt shingles? Are they over tar-paper or self sealing membrane?