If you are interested in this article is because of two reasons: one, you are a homeowner and you are worried about the potential problems that you can have about drilling your roof to install solar panels, or two, you are a solar installer and would like to know more about drilling on a roof. (If you are the homeowner we recommend you the article Now Is The Time For You To Know The Truth About Roof Problems Because Of Solar Panels )
If you are a solar installer and would like to know more about this topic, we are going to talk about 8 main things you must know about roof drilling:
- It is always better to pre-drill: when it comes to drilling for fixing your screws it is always recommendable to pre-drill. By doing this you can avoid inaccurate drilling on the roof that could lead to bigger holes trying to match the right location and the inaccurate hole.
- It’s a matter of practice: The more you drill the more expert you become. Most of the installers mention that an expert drill hand can be developed after the 4 months doing this on a daily basis.
- Understanding the types of roofs: Every single roof has a different technique and materials, there is different attachments and sealing methods used to make the roof waterproof and weather protect even after work.
- Find the right anchor: Consult the manufacture structure instructions before proceeding with the installation of an anchor on a specific roof, there may be issues if you are using an attachment that cannot fit in the roof you are working. Sometimes common sense is not enough since the complexity of the equipment and the roof shape can create confusion.
- The age of the roof is crucial but so is the inspection: Before drilling a roof, you must inspect the current roof to conclude if is going to be a good plan to drill the roof based on the condition of the roof material and expected durability of it. May be the roof replaced before installing solar? Let’s see the condition of the rafts inside the attic and roof age to evaluate the viability of the solar install prior roof replacement.
- Flashing is recommendable: roof flashing is a critical part of your roof. It impacts the look of your roof, it can cause leaks if installed improperly, and it is a customizable upgrade for your roof. For water management is always recommendable and beautiful.
- Look for the roof trusses: trusses are “the bones” of the roof, you don’t want to attach your solar system to anything else but the trusses since these are the strongest point of the entire structure.
- Seal, seal, and more sealing: If you don’t want to have issues down the road make sure every single hole in the roof is properly seal and one advice is: be generous with the sealing, there is never too much sealing.
We hope this information was useful and will be elevating your level of knowledge about drilling on the roof the right way. Remember your solar system with Clever Energy comes with a 30-year roof leaking and roof penetration protection warranty, so if there are issues on this matter, we got you covered!

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Diego and Jennifer, lead a team of solar experts with +7 years experience in over 22 different states in America. We would love to help you switch to solar the right way!
Get a professional and honest solar quote
Diego and Jennifer, lead a team of solar experts with +7 years experience in over 22 different states in America. We would love to help you switch to solar the right way!
