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I have seen more than one case where roof renovators have destroyed solar systems and that is a terribly wasteful lesson for people. If you’re thinking about having your roof painted, make sure it doesn’t turn pear-shaped with this easy guide to renovating a roof with solar panels.
Roof paint is obviously designed to stick to things, and solar panels are no exception. You might think that because they are made of glass they would be easy to clean, but you would be wrong. Unlike your windows, solar panels have a textured surface so they don’t reflect light. That’s right, folks – solar panels are designed to absorb sunlight. Who knew?
Some manufacturers claim special anti-glare, anti-reflective and anti-dirt properties for their proprietary coatings or surface treatments. The bottom line is: you cannot clean this surface with harsh chemicals or mechanical means without damaging it.
Using a pressure washer is also taboo as it can spray water under the frame and into the edges of the panels. Once the seal is compromised and the wafers or busbars begin to corrode, ground faults are fatal to the modules.
However, painting on panels is a really easy problem to solve.
Either you cover the array completely with dropsheets. Or you can remove the majority of the solar power system before painting.
Since both methods have advantages and disadvantages, we will introduce you to some of them here.[/caption]
Mask and use a covering
Sealing your system with plastic protectors is not particularly difficult. It’s quick and cheap and doesn’t require a special license or much skill. This should be the minimum level of service you receive from anyone painting a roof.
I’ve seen some paint jobs that look really nice because the frame is color coordinated with the roof. However, there are some potential pitfalls.
Roof insulators
If your solar system was installed before 2016, it likely has a roof insulator without a metal shield. Some even had a transparent door over the switching mechanism. These plastic enclosures would really benefit from a thick protective layer of acrylic membrane. However, it is not recommended to cover the door with paint or smear the labels identifying the insulator.
If we’re honest, roof insulators may last longer if they’re painted, but the best approach has always been to remove these fire-prone switches before they cause a real disaster.
Incomplete coverage
As the cover photo shows, the person doing this paint job didn’t know what they were doing.
First, they didn’t attach the drop panels properly, so some parts of the frame got a coat of paint, but others didn’t. Even though it may look fine at first, paint can easily blow into small gaps if the system is not properly covered.
Second, and most tragically, they skimped on plastic when covering the array. The floorboards have obviously been protected, but where the plastic ends, the paint begins in a ghostly picture of incompetence.
Landlord special
You may have seen a home with only the front of the roof painted, which looks conspicuous in real estate listings. Some solar systems appear similarly half-hearted, with a new system installed that doesn’t cover the footprint of the old one, and some unpainted roofs exposed next to a new system.
Remove, restore, reinstall.
Provided your system is good quality, well installed, and not particularly old, it is perfectly fine to temporarily remove the system while the roof is being cared for. The removal is usually quite straightforward, but the new installation, testing and certification must definitely be carried out by a qualified electrician. As a trained builder and roof plumber, I can offer a golden rule:
Don’t let roofers reinstall your solar system, no matter what they tell you.
I’ve seen more than a few examples of dangerous work done by roofers who didn’t know what they were doing.
Why is the green terminal crooked? The panel is not clamped to the frame where the red arrow is… because the blue clamp shouldn’t even be under the panel. I’m amazed that this screw head didn’t break the glass, but the roofers definitely damaged the panel.
Strive for the best,
The best roof renovations are done without solar energy. In fact, I argue that the best solar systems are built with renovation in mind.
Because installers have free rein to get close to the edges, they can make the most of the roof space without compromising on the structure or panel clamping zone. Once the brackets are in place, the tiles are sanded and electrical penetration is done; You can then hire the roof renovators to re-point the ridges and ridges and paint them as you see fit. Make sure there are some replacement tiles too.
Prepare for the worst
If your solar power system is older, dismantling it can be doomed to failure.
Stainless steel and aluminum fasteners can corrode together so badly that they might as well be welded, especially if you’re near the coast. Outdated brands may result in new hardware not being available and the entire frame being written off.
Points for innovation. When the iron roofers lost some parts, they had to improvise with wood screws.
Plugs and cabling may be damaged and may also need to be replaced. Cracks in the plastic carrier film of the modules are not always visible from the front; However, they could result in the panels no longer being able to be installed safely.
As we’ve already detailed, the amount of work involved in reinstalling an old solar system is largely the same as installing a new one.
When you consider system size, improved performance, removal of insulators, better monitoring, and a new warranty, a new solar system can be a no-brainer.
Be aware of the risk
For old solar systems, it may be best to simply cover them properly and leave them alone before painting.
While price is often an indicator, the unfortunate customer on our cover photo didn’t use the cheapest product he could find.
One of the best ways to ensure your system is safe is to ask your prospective roof replacement contractor for their insurance information. If they cannot provide proof of professional liability insurance, then they are obviously not a professional company.
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