A. Yes, you will still be connected to the grid so you will be responsible for your customer account charge and meter reading fee, which you are already paying for now, in addition to any extra power used above and beyond the power  generated by your solar system. 

A. SunPower is the largest solar provider in the world. They are the only company that manufactures and warranties all the equipment they install on your home. 

A. SunPower is proud to have an A+ rating with BBB.

A. The only way to accurately predict savings is to conduct a site survey. This consists of compiling data including available roof space, sun hours, and your annual power usage. 

A. Once you qualify and are accepted into the program, we schedule a site survey to verify that your home qualifies also. After that technicians gather all the information on your home, and the engineers create your design, we then apply for permits with the city, get utilities approval, and inform you HOA if you have one. Once all approvals are obtained, we install your system which takes a day or two. We then notify your utility to commission the system. Depending on the workload, this whole process can take anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks or longer. (Remember that your billing will not begin until your system is fully operational and connected to the grid). 

A. A full 25 year system warranty on all solar parts and components.

A. 12 years. One of the best in the industry.

Solar panel roof leak

In theory, installing high-efficiency solar panels on your rooftop should be a real money-saver. But suppose a photovoltaic solar installation caused collateral damage that offset your savings? Suppose, for example, that installing solar panels caused your roof to start leaking? This could lead to expensive repair bills, not to mention significant water damage inside your home.

It is not hard to find horror stories about roofs leaking after solar panels were installed. Check out the comments sections in articles that discuss the subject, and you’ll inevitably read heated accounts of sieve-like leakage from disgruntled homeowners.

Fortunately, this anecdotal evidence is misleading. In fact, modern solar technology has advanced to the point that roofs with solar panels should never leak, as long as qualified solar technicians are hired to handle the installation. Too often this latter standard isn’t meant, and that’s when people run into trouble.

The standard method for rooftop photovoltaic panel installation makes use of mounting brackets that attach directly to the house, through the roof and into the support structure below.

Solar panel attachment to the roof

Multiple holes do have to be drilled to facilitate the mounting process, but the holes are filled with high-quality silicone and covered with metal flushing that prevents any and all moisture penetration.

The whole procedure is fairly simple and straightforward, and as long as it is carried out carefully and professionally, the final results should be leak-proof.

Because modern solar panels only weigh about four pounds per square foot, standard roofs are more than strong enough to support even large-scale installations without stress or strain. Nevertheless, solar professionals examine rooftops closely before installation begin, to ensure they are capable of handling the extra load.

While solar panels are built to be mounted on sloped roofs, they can still be installed on flat roofs and may not require any drilling at all in these instances.

Photovoltaic system on a flat roof

Solar panels on a flat roof are normally anchored in place with heavy ballast, usually in the form of concrete blocks, which does add some extra weight to the system but not nearly enough to compromise a roof’s structural integrity.

Solar arrays can usually be mounted without complication. But leakage can occur if:

Incompetent installers are employed;

The roof is made of the wrong materials [3];

The roof is already damaged at the time of installation.

Avoiding the first problem is simply a matter of doing your homework. Before contracting any company, check to make sure they have good reviews, a lack of complaints from the Better Business Bureau, and all the proper certification and licensing expected from a legitimate solar contractor.

When you choose an upstanding contractor mistakes are unlikely, since experienced companies that stand by their work know how to install solar equipment properly.

Unfortunately, there are fly-by-night operators in the solar installation biz that will take shortcuts or fail to observe best practices if they believe it will increase their profit margin. For example, some contractors will install solar panels on roofs made of slate or wood tiles, both of which are brittle and inflexible and can easily crack or break if drilled through.

Many of the horror stories about leaky roofs caused by PV panels involve homeowners with roofs made from these materials, who didn’t realize they were a poor choice for solar and chose companies without the integrity to inform them of that fact.

Damaged roofs can be identified on inspection, either by roofing professionals or by solar technicians, who know the signs to look for when evaluating rooftops for PV panels.

Before going solar, you should definitely pay for any needed roof repairs first, and if you know you will have to replace the roof within five years you should go ahead and replace it right away, before your panels are installed.

Old roofing is unsuitable for solar panel installation. 

This might seem like an extra expense you’d like to avoid, even if it meant putting off solar.

But remember if you decide a new roof is needed before a solar installation:: a properly-sized and professionally installed solar panel array can pay for itself and a new roof through the savings over time. 

Solar panels can help protect your roof

A professionally installed photovoltaic solar array will change the look and performance of your roof.

Panels are super-resistant to damage or dislodgment, and even hurricane-strength winds are unlikely to uproot them if they’ve been properly mounted.

Solar panels protect roofs

As an addition to your roof, they can offer protection against the long-term corrosive effects of too much sun, wind, rain, snow, or atmospheric pollution.

Meanwhile, the panels themselves are the ultimate in low-maintenance technology. Since they have no moving parts an occasional cleaning is likely all they will require, and with an estimated lifespan of 25-40 years a solar array can deliver its protective effects long past the point you’re likely to sell your house.