Yes - if your Glendale roofer is replacing the underlayment under a tile roof, the solar panels over that area have to come off first. The tile gets lifted to reach the layer underneath, and the array sits right on top of it, so the panels and racking come off, the roofer does the work on a clear deck, and the system goes back on with new feet and flashing.
Phoenix Solar Removal handles that solar side for Glendale homeowners and the roofing companies they hire. Here is how an underlayment job with panels on top usually comes together.
Why tile roofs end up with this job
On a tile roof, the tile you see is not the only thing keeping water out. Underneath it is an underlayment layer, and in the Arizona sun that layer can wear out while the tile on top still looks fine from the street.
When a roofer finds that, the fix is often to lift the tile, replace what is underneath, and set the tile back. Whether the roofer reuses the tile or puts on new tile is their call. On the solar side the answer is the same either way: anything sitting over the work area has to come off first.
Why the panels cannot stay on
Your roofer cannot lift tile that has racking and mounting feet running through it. Every mount is attached through the roof, so the roofer would be working around live equipment and penetrations they did not install.
Taking the array off gives the roofer:
- A clear deck to lift tile and replace the layer underneath
- Access to every old mount point, so those holes can be detailed into the new work
- No responsibility for someone else's solar equipment while they work
If the underlayment work only covers one slope or section, a full removal may not be needed. Our post on a partial detach for a roof leak covers when only some rows come off.
How the job runs
- Shutdown and lockout on the DC side before any panel is touched
- Photos of the array and the roof under it before anything comes off
- Labeling of every panel by row and position, with wiring tagged to fit
- Panels and racking off, with extra care around the tile at each mount
- Staging out of the roofing crew's way, on site or off
- Your roofer lifts the tile, replaces the underlayment, and sets the roof back
- Remount on new feet and new flashing, reconnection, and a production check at the inverter
Tile is brittle, so the detail work around each mount takes more care than on shingle. Our post on tile vs shingle on the solar side explains what changes and what does not.
Who does what at the mounts
On a tile job, the roofer and the solar crew need to agree on who handles each piece around the mounting points before work starts:
- Solar crew: feet, racking, panels, wiring, and the final production check
- Roofer: the old penetrations, the new underlayment, and the tile around each new mount
- Both: the date the deck is clear and the date the roof is ready for the panels
Settling that up front keeps the remount from waiting on a question nobody asked. For more on the old holes, see old solar mount holes and a new roof.
What to send for a quote
- Your Glendale address
- A rough panel count, or a photo of the array
- Whether the work covers the whole roof or one section
- Your roofer's planned dates, if you have them
- Anything already wrong with the system, so it is documented before removal
Roofing companies can bring us in as the solar sub. The for roofing companies page explains how that works.
FAQ
Do the panels have to come off if the tile is staying?
Yes, for the area being worked. The roofer still has to lift the tile under the array to reach the underlayment.
Can only part of the array come off?
Sometimes. If the underlayment work is limited to one section, only the panels over that section may need to move.
Do the same panels go back on?
Yes. The same panels and racking go back on with new mounting feet and new flashing, then the system is reconnected and checked.
Will my house lose power while the panels are off?
No. The house stays on utility power. You lose solar production until the system is reconnected and confirmed producing.
Next step
Send your Glendale address, a rough panel count, and your roofer's dates through the contact page. Phoenix Solar Removal will come back with what the solar side takes. More on the area is on our Glendale page.