If you need to remove solar panels in Phoenix for roof work, your bid will probably use words like detach, reset, R and R, remount, or uninstall. Most of them describe the same job: the panels come off before the roof work and go back on after it. The one that usually means something different is uninstall, which can mean the system is not going back up.
Phoenix Solar Removal handles the solar side of re-roofs across Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, and Scottsdale. Here is what each term means and what to ask when you see it.
Detach
Detach is the removal half of the job. The system is shut down, the DC side is locked out, each panel is labeled by row and position, and the panels and racking come off the roof down to the mounting feet.
Ask: Is this a full detach or only some rows? A leak or a partial re-roof may only need part of the array off.
Reset
Reset is the return half. The array goes back on the new roof, gets reconnected, and the system is brought back up.
Ask: Does reset include new mounting feet and new flashing, and a production check at the inverter? Panels back on the roof is not the same as panels back on and producing.
Detach and reset (or "D and R")
This is the full job in one line: off before the roof work, back on after it. It is the most common way the solar line shows up on a Phoenix re-roof bid.
Ask: Who stages the equipment while the roof is open, and where? Our post on where panels go during a re-roof covers that.
R and R (remove and reinstall)
R and R means remove and reinstall. On a solar line it usually means the same thing as detach and reset. Some bids use it for the roof itself too, so read which line it sits on.
Ask: Is the R and R line for the solar array, or for something else on the roof like vents or other equipment?
Remount
Remount is the physical part of the reset: new feet, new flashing, racking back up, and panels set back in their labeled positions. It does not always include reconnection and the production check on its own.
Ask: Is reconnection included with the remount, and how will you show the system is producing? For more on that, see production proof after a remount.
Uninstall
This is the word to read closely. Some bids use uninstall to mean a detach and reset. Others mean taking the system down for good. Those are different scopes.
Ask: Is the system going back on this roof? If yes, it should be priced as a detach and reset. If you are thinking about taking a system off permanently, our post on uninstall vs detach and reset walks through that decision.
Why the words matter
Two bids can use different words for the same work, or the same word for different work. The fix is to line them up by scope, not by label. Every solar line should make clear:
- Full or partial removal
- Labeling and staging
- New feet and flashing on the remount
- Reconnection and a production check
- Before-and-after photos
If one of those is missing, ask whether it is included or assumed. Our guide to comparing roof bids with a solar line goes deeper.
FAQ
Is detach and reset the same as R and R?
On a solar line, usually yes. Both describe the panels coming off before the roof work and going back on after it.
Does reset mean the system is producing again?
It should. Ask for the production check at the inverter to be part of the job, not assumed.
What does uninstall mean on a roof bid?
It depends on the bid. Confirm whether the system is going back on the roof before you compare prices.
Can I hire the solar side directly instead of through my roofer?
Yes. Phoenix Solar Removal works directly with homeowners and as a subcontractor to roofing companies.
Next step
Send your address, a rough panel count, and the solar line from your roof bid through the contact page. Phoenix Solar Removal will tell you what the solar side of the job takes. The full sequence is on our solar panel removal and solar panel reinstallation pages.