As Shakespeare said, to remove or not remove?
Here is our upcoming showroom with another neighbour's property in the background. Both have the panels covered for the upcoming paint job. Now, one of the most common things we see which slows down the installation of solar panels is roofing works. And, to be fair, it doesn't have to at all.
Case in point here, both these houses, including one owned by a long-time solar professional, haven't opted to take the panels off. But why would you keep them on?
Well, it is technically better if possible to remove and repaint. It will be a better job in the sense of "all of the roof is the same colour", but it costs more and also will void the roofing warranty once the panels are reinstalled. Moreover, you can't see the roof underneath. In this case, the savings were very significant due to a 13.2kw system which means a lot fewer square meters to pay for.
It also means no loss from the painting period. The panels still perform and perform well with the plastic cover. So much so that it's actually shocking how little impact the sheeting has! Instead of losing two weeks of production or more, it means, along with the meters reduced savings, a significantly smarter financial decision.
So, if you are thinking about painting your roof, don't wait until after the solar has been installed. You're better off saving on electricity asap, and letting the roofer go around it.
We hope this will help someone out there going through the rigmarole of renovations have a slightly easier decision to make!