Planning Solar Panels? Start With the Roof
Illustration of a rooftop solar array. Shown for planning context, not as a Maldonado solar installation.
The takeaway: Review roof condition early and make the roofer-to-solar-installer handoff explicit.
Put roof condition into the first conversation
Solar planning often starts with panel layouts and the home’s energy needs. Add another question early: what should be understood about the roof before equipment is installed above it?
The U.S. Department of Energy recommends discussing roof condition and any necessary repairs with a prospective solar installer. For Utah homeowners, bringing a roofer into that conversation gives roof-related questions a clear place in the planning process.
Collect the roof information you already have
Gather the installation date if known, records of repairs, product information, and any recent inspection photographs. If the details are incomplete, label them as unknown instead of using the home’s construction date as a substitute for the roof’s age.
Explain any concerns you have noticed from the ground or ordinary living spaces. Leave close roof inspection, attic entry, and all rooftop measurements to the professionals.
When was roofing work last completed?
Which areas have been repaired or investigated before?
Have you noticed interior moisture or a visible change outside?
Is other work on the home being planned at the same time?
Ask for a roof recommendation before finalizing the sequence
Have the roofer explain the observed condition and any work they recommend before solar installation. Ask what evidence supports the recommendation and what remains uncertain until closer evaluation is completed.
Then share the findings with the solar installer so both parties are planning around the same information. A roof that looks tidy in a photograph should not be treated as proof that every proposed installation detail is suitable.
If the recommendations differ, ask the professionals to identify the exact point of disagreement. “The flashing at this location needs review” is a more useful starting point than two broad statements about whether the roof is ready.
Make the handoff between providers explicit
Ask who will coordinate the roofing work, solar work, and any other affected rooftop equipment. GAF’s roofing-project checklist highlights scheduling around solar panels and other rooftop additions, which makes early coordination especially useful.
Write down what each provider needs from the other before work starts. Do not assume that information in one company’s proposal has automatically reached the other company.
Who supplies the final roof and panel-layout information?
Who reviews attachment and weatherproofing details for the proposed system?
How will roof vents and service access be addressed?
Who should you contact if a roof-related question appears during installation?
Discuss future access while the plan is still flexible
Ask the installer how future inspection, repair, or replacement work would be coordinated if panels need to be temporarily removed. Clarify which provider would handle each part and what information should be retained for that future project.
This is also a good time to ask how completed work will be documented. Roof photographs and an understandable layout can help you explain the installation later without relying on memory.
Keep product details, provider contacts, and instructions together in one home-project folder. Ask each company directly about questions that concern its own work rather than assuming that one answer covers every component.
Use a shared checklist before work begins
Review the plan once more when the schedule is being finalized. Confirm that any roof-related recommendations have a clear outcome, that the providers know their responsibilities, and that you understand the next step.
Your goal is a coordinated decision based on the roof’s actual condition and the proposed solar system. Compatibility, attachment details, and installation sequencing need project-specific review; a general article cannot establish them for an individual home.
A brief shared conversation can resolve an unclear handoff before installation day. Bring your written questions and record the answers in the same place as the final plans.
Get a clear next step for your roof
Planning solar and want to understand your roof’s condition first? Request a free roof inspection from Maldonado Roof Co.
Request a free roof inspection
Call our office: (801) 326-9006