How Remove & Reinstall Works
The array comes off, the roof gets replaced, the array goes back on. The parts that matter are the ones in between — how the panels are handled, how the old penetrations are closed, and how anyone proves the system works afterwards.
Removal
- System shut down and isolated in the correct sequence by licensed electrical personnel
- Modules removed and labelled by position, so the array returns to its designed layout
- Racking and rails removed, with hardware assessed for reuse
- Wiring protected and documented, with every connection photographed before it is broken
- Panels stacked on edge with protection between them, off the ground, under cover
While the roof is open
Every old mount penetration is properly closed as part of the new roof, not patched over. This is the one window in the array's life where those holes are accessible, and it is why a re-roof under solar is a better roof than one worked around the panels.
It is also when rotted sheathing under the array gets found. Panels shade the roof and slow drying, so the deck beneath an array is a common place for it.
Reinstallation
- New mounts, new flashings and new penetration seals — not the originals
- Mounts located into rafters, not into sheathing alone
- Racking set and levelled, modules returned to their labelled positions
- Electrical reconnected and tested by licensed electrical personnel
- System verified producing: inverter status, per-string or per-panel output as the architecture allows
- Monitoring checked so you can confirm production yourself in the following days
How long the system is down
On a typical residential re-roof the array is off for the duration of the roofing work — commonly two to four days on a single building, sometimes longer if rot is found.
That is lost production, not a lost system. For most Sacramento homes it is a small number of days of generation, and it is worth scheduling for sunny months rather than trying to avoid it.
Common questions
How long are my solar panels off the roof?
Typically the duration of the roofing work — commonly two to four days for a residential re-roof, longer if rotted sheathing is found under the array. You lose that production; nothing else.
Where are the panels stored?
On edge with protection between modules, off the ground and under cover, on your property unless you prefer otherwise. They are not stacked flat or left face-up in a driveway.