Solar Panel Detach & Reset in Torrance, CA

If your Torrance house has solar panels on the roof, replacing the roof under them takes two trades working in the right order. Our roof replacement crew handles the roofing, and your solar company handles the panels and the electrical side. Our job on this page is the bridge between them, and the details that decide whether the roof under your array stays dry.

Why do solar panels have to come off to replace the roof?

Because you cannot tear off shingles or tile under a rack. The array sits on mounts bolted through the roofing into the rafters. To replace the underlayment and see the deck, those mounts and rails have to come off. The new roof goes on first, then the mounts are reinstalled on fresh flashing, and the panels follow.

Trying to work around the panels leaves old roofing in place under the array, which is the hardest part of the roof to reach later. It is also where leaks hide.

Solar detach and reset: the order of work

Here is the sequence we coordinate with your solar company:

1. Roof inspection. We check the deck, flashing, mount points and the roof's remaining life.
2. Scope and schedule. We agree dates with your solar company so both crews know the plan.
3. Electrical disconnect and panel removal. Your solar company shuts the system down, disconnects and removes panels, rails and mounts.
4. Tear-off. We strip the old roof, repair the deck and protect landscaping and driveways.
5. New roof. Underlayment, flashing and roofing go on, with locations for the mounts marked from the solar layout.
6. Reinstall. Your solar company reinstalls mounts on new flashing, then panels and wiring.
7. Inspection and restart. Required inspections happen before the system is switched back on.

One Google reviewer said the roofer "handled the timing for solar panel removal and reinstallation so it matched the roofing schedule, and he stayed flexible when a parts delay changed the plan." Delays happen, so a flexible schedule matters.

What our side of a solar roof replacement includes, and who does what

A re-roof under an array splits cleanly into two scopes, and most problems come from the gap between them. Ours is everything from the deck up to the finished roofing. Yours, through your solar company, is everything electrical and the panel hardware. Because the panels are removed before we start and returned after we finish, our work has to be photographed and complete before the solar crew arrives, so nobody is guessing about what is under the mounts. The scope on our side includes these deliverables:

• A roof and attic inspection with photos of the deck and old mount points
• Full tear-off under the array footprint, with deck repairs photographed before they are covered
• New underlayment, flashing and roofing, with rafter lines marked for the mounts
• Permit details for the re-roof, thorough cleanup and protected landscaping and driveways
• A shared schedule so your solar company knows when the roof is ready

Arrangements differ from one solar contract to the next. If your system is leased or financed, check the agreement, because the owner of the system may control who is allowed to detach it.

What changes on the roof when the mounts go back?

A mount is a penetration, and every penetration needs flashing. When the panels return, we want those holes to land on solid rafters and sit in properly lapped flashing, not in sealant alone. On shingle roofs, flashing tucks under the course above and over the course below. On tile roofs, mounts use tile hooks or flashed replacement tiles, and tiles around them can crack if people step in the wrong place.

We mark rafter lines during the tear-off so the solar crew can find solid wood. We also check the deck under old mount points, since this is where we most often find rot after years of seepage. Our flashing repair page explains why sealant alone does not last.

Which permits and rooftop rules apply when solar is involved?

The re-roof and the solar reinstall are normally permitted and inspected separately. Inside city limits, City of Torrance Building & Safety, (310) 618-5910, issues permits. Unincorporated areas use LA County Public Works, and the City of LA uses LADBS. California's residential code also sets roof access pathways and setbacks for rooftop solar, so the reinstalled layout has to leave clear routes from eave to ridge. Your solar company draws that layout. We keep our roofing details and mount marks consistent with it. Ask the city for the inspection order at your address, and keep the system off until final sign-off.

Solar roof leak or ordinary roof leak?

Panels cast shade and shed water in new patterns, so a leak under an array can come from the mounts or from the roof around them. The usual causes are:

• Sealant that has dried and cracked at a mount
• Flashing that was set on top of a shingle instead of under it
• A lag bolt that missed the rafter and left a loose mount
• Leaves and debris trapped under the array
• Birds nesting beneath the panels, which can chew screen and tear roofing (see animal damage roof repair)

We trace the entry point before blaming the mount or the roof. If the roof is worn out everywhere, a new one is the honest answer. If one mount failed, a repair does the job.

Should the roof go first, before you add solar?

If you are buying solar and your roof has less life left than the panels will need, replace the roof first. Panels can last for decades, and detaching them later costs money and production. If the roof has many good years left, there is no reason to rush. We inspect it for free and tell you which situation you are in. Our post on replacing a roof under solar panels covers the decision in more detail.

Some roof choices help solar too. A lighter-colored shingle can cut heat gain, as discussed on our cool roof installation page. Homes on the hillsides may have extra fire-rated roofing requirements, covered under Class A fire-rated roofing.

What drives the cost of roofing around solar?

We give free estimates and do not post prices. Solar removal and reinstall is billed by your solar company, separately from our roofing. What moves our side of the number:

• Roof size, pitch, material and number of layers to remove
• Deck condition under and around the array
• How many mount locations need new flashing
• Whether the roof stays open longer because of the solar schedule
• Weather delays during the rainy season

Ask your solar company for its detach-and-reset charge in writing before the work is scheduled.

Why Crown Trim for roof work under solar?

• Reviewers rate us 4.8 stars across 73 Google reviews.
• We coordinate solar panel removal and reinstallation timing with your solar company.
• We show you photos of the deck and flashing we find, and explain repair and replacement options in plain terms.
• Free estimates and roof inspections, with same day or next day service.
• We handle permit details on re-roofs, protect landscaping and driveways, and clean up thoroughly.

We schedule this kind of work for homes across the South Bay, including Carson, Redondo Beach and Rancho Palos Verdes.