Should the roof be replaced before your solar panels go back on? That is the question worth asking whenever an array comes down, because a New Lenox roof that looks fine from the driveway can be a lot closer to the end than it seems. Spotting the signs your roof needs replacing before the solar goes back on is what keeps you from paying to take the panels off twice.
The logic is simple. Panels sit on the roof for a long time. Once they are bolted back down, every shingle under them is hard to reach. So the moment the array is off, or about to be, is the cheapest moment to be honest about the roof.
Key takeaways
- A roof with only a few good years left is a poor base for an array that will stay up much longer.
- The most reliable evidence is on the slopes that are not covered by panels, because those shingles take full sun and weather.
- Curling, cracking, bare granules, soft decking and attic stains are the signs that matter most.
- A reroof in New Lenox needs a village permit, so plan the roofer’s paperwork alongside the solar schedule.
- If the roof is replaced, the detach, tear-off and reset should be scheduled as one sequence.
Why the roof question comes up when the panels come off
A solar array is a long-term tenant on your roof, so the roof underneath has to outlast it or be ready to be replaced on a plan. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Homeowner’s Guide to Going Solar tells homeowners to consider the age of the roof and how long until it will need replacement, and notes that some rooftops are not suitable for solar because of their age.
That advice is written for people installing solar for the first time. It applies just as much to a reset. When panels are already off for a storm claim, a roof leak or a critter guard install, the roof is exposed in a way it will not be again for years. Putting the array back on worn shingles locks in a second detach later.
The cost of that second detach is the real reason to look closely now. Labor to disconnect, remove, store and reinstall the system comes around again whenever the roof fails under it.
Look at the uncovered slopes first
The shingles that sat under the panels are often the least reliable guide to the roof’s condition. They have been shaded and sheltered from direct sun, rain and hail, so they can look newer than the rest of the roof.
The slopes with no panels on them tell the truer story. They have taken every hot summer, every freeze and every spring storm since the roof went on. In the south and southwest suburbs, that means years of Chicago-area winters, heavy snow sitting on the roof and windy storm seasons. If those faces are worn out, the covered section is usually not far behind, even if it photographs well.
Walk the yard with binoculars, or have the roofer send photos of every slope. Compare the faces side by side. Big differences in color, texture or flatness are worth asking about.
Shingle signs that point to a replacement
Asphalt shingles show their age in a fairly predictable way. These are the signs roofers look for.
Curling, cupping and cracking
Shingles that curl at the edges or cup in the middle have lost flexibility. Cracked shingles let water reach the mat underneath. A few on one slope can be a repair. Widespread curling across the roof usually means the roof is near the end.
Granule loss
The granules on top of a shingle protect the asphalt from the sun. When they wash off, the shingle ages fast. Look in the gutters and at the bottom of downspouts. A heavy layer of gritty granules, or bare dark patches on the shingles, is a strong signal.
Missing or creased shingles after wind
Wind can lift a shingle and crease it without tearing it off. A creased shingle has a weak line across it and often lets go in the next storm. Several missing or creased tabs on a roof that is already older is a sign the sealant strips are no longer holding.
Lumps, sags and soft spots
A roof plane should look flat from the street. A wave, a dip between rafters or a spongy feel underfoot can mean the decking below is wet or rotting. Damaged decking has to be dealt with before anything is mounted back on it, because the solar racking anchors through it.
What the attic tells you
The underside of the roof often shows trouble before the shingles do. A short trip into the attic with a flashlight answers a lot.
Look for water stains on the decking or rafters, dark rings around nails, and daylight where there should not be any. Check around the old solar penetrations in particular. Stains at a mount point suggest water has already found a path through the flashing.
Frost or damp insulation in winter points to warm, moist air reaching the roof deck. That moisture can weaken decking over time. It is worth fixing during a reroof, when ventilation can be addressed while the deck is open.
Also note whether ice dams have been a recurring problem along the eaves. Ice dams push water under shingles at the edges. A roof that has been through several bad winters of them may have damaged underlayment along the lower edge, which is exactly where the roofer will want to install fresh ice and water protection.
Age, layers and the permit record
Age alone does not condemn a roof, but it frames every other sign. Energy.gov’s step-by-step guide for solar consumers suggests knowing when the roof was installed or replaced, and points out that if you are not sure, your local government should have a record of when it issued the building permit. In New Lenox, that record would sit with the village.
Layers matter too. Some older homes have a second layer of shingles nailed over the first. Extra layers add weight and hide the deck. Many roofers will recommend a full tear-off in that case, and building codes limit how many layers a roof can carry. The Village of New Lenox FAQ lists reroofs among the projects that require a permit and lists the 2018 International Residential Code among the codes the village follows. Your roofer and the village’s building department decide what the permit requires for your house, so confirm the details with them before work begins.
Flashing and the mount points
Even a roof with decent shingles can have tired flashing. Flashing is the metal that turns water away at chimneys, walls, vents and roof edges. Old step flashing, rusted valley metal or caulk-patched vent boots are all signs the roof’s weak points are aging.
The solar mount points are a special case. Every mount is a penetration through the shingles and deck. When panels come off, the old mount locations need to be sealed and the new ones flashed properly. On a worn roof, that work is going into material that may not last as long as the seal. On a new roof, it goes into fresh shingles and underlayment, which is the better base.
Ask the roofer to show you the existing mount locations once the racking is removed. Soft decking or stains at those points can change the plan.
When a repair is enough
Not every reset needs a new roof. A roof can be fine for another stretch if the uncovered slopes show only light wear, the deck is solid, the attic is dry, there is one layer of shingles and any damage is limited to a few spots.
In that case, the roofer may handle small repairs while the panels are down, and the array goes back on with new flashing at each mount. The key is to get a clear opinion from a roofer before the reset date, not after the panels are bolted back down. If you are unsure, ask the roofer to put the remaining life of the roof in writing, so you can weigh it against how long you expect the panels to stay up.
How to decide before the reset date
The deciding factor is simple: will this roof last as long as you plan to keep the panels on it? If the honest answer is no, or the roofer cannot say yes with confidence, replace the roof while the array is already off. Get the roofer’s assessment of the uncovered slopes, a look in the attic and a count of the shingle layers before you set a reset date, then pull the village permit for the reroof and put the detach, tear-off and reset on one calendar.
If the roof does need to go, our page on roof replacement under solar panels walks through how that sequence works, and the detach and reset service covers taking the array down and bringing it back online. Solar Panel Removal New Lenox can fit that plan around your roofer, and the homepage has the rest of what we do.