Your roof matters more than most people realize

Roof age and remaining life

The rough rule of thumb: if your roof has more than 10 years of remaining life, solar is usually fine to install. If it has less, replacing the roof before (or at the same time as) solar is often the better path. Removing and reinstalling panels later commonly costs several thousand dollars.

Hail and insurance

Colorado's Front Range sees frequent hail. If your roof needs replacement due to a hail claim, that is often the ideal time to plan solar — the roof is fresh and the timeline aligns. Talk with your insurer about how a solar array is handled in a claim before installation.

Roof material

• Asphalt shingle: most common; straightforward to mount.
• Concrete or clay tile: installable but often more expensive.
• Metal: excellent for solar; can use clamp-based mounts.
• Flat / low-slope: requires ballasted or specialized racking.

Roof warranty interactions

A qualified installer uses flashings and mounts that are compatible with your roof warranty. Ask your installer specifically how mounting penetrations are sealed and how the roofing manufacturer's warranty is affected.

Remove-and-reinstall pricing

If a re-roof happens after solar is installed, the panels must come off and go back on. Costs typically range from a few hundred dollars per panel to a fixed-project rate depending on system size, roof complexity, and installer.