Yes - for a full roof replacement in the Phoenix area, solar panels and racking almost always have to come off before tear-off so the roofer can work a clear deck. The jobs that go wrong usually fail in one of three places: the array wasn't fully shut down and locked out before removal, the remount left penetrations or flashing wrong on the new roof, or the system was reconnected without confirming it was producing again. A solar-side crew should own shutdown, removal, staging, remount, and production proof; the roofing company keeps the roof job.
That is the whole point of solar panel removal for roof replacement. The shingles are not the hard part. The handoff is.
Yes, the panels come off for a full re-roof
Panels and mounts go through the roof deck. A full tear-off needs that deck clear - underlayment, flashing, and new surface included. Working around a live array blocks access, risks cracked glass, and leaves the new roof detailed around someone else's equipment.
A limited repair under only part of the array can be different. Scope that with both crews before anyone shows up. A full replacement is not that case.
The three failure points (none of them are the shingles)
1. Shutdown
Until the inverter is down and the DC side is isolated, the array is still a live circuit on a hot roof. Removal without a real lockout is how people get hurt and how "we thought it was off" stories start.
Done right: inverter powered down, DC disconnects opened and locked out, array confirmed dead, tags placed so nobody re-energizes by accident. Then - and only then - clamps come loose.
2. Remount and flashing
New feet in the wrong place, or old holes left unflashed, and the roof you just paid for leaks under the array. Once the panels, rails, and feet are off, those penetrations belong to the roof. Your roofer details them into the new system the same as any other penetration. That is exactly why the array comes off before tear-off, not during it.
3. Reconnect without proof
Panels go back up. Nobody checks production. Weeks later monitoring shows a string down, and the roofer and the solar company each point at the other. The fix is boring and non-negotiable: remount, reconnect, wire management, then confirm the inverter is reporting and the array is producing before anyone calls the job done. Photo documentation before and after belongs in the file - especially if insurance is involved.
Who does what (order of crews)
- Solar crew shuts down, labels every panel and string, removes panels then racking, stages gear out of the roofing crew's way.
- Roofer tears off and installs on a clear deck - no glass liability, no dodging rails.
- Solar crew comes back when the new roof is ready: new feet and flashing as scoped, remount, reconnect, production proof.
Schedule the solar removal around the roofer's date, not the other way around. The solar side should never be why a roofing crew is standing around on site.
Homeowner or roofing company - either path works
Some homeowners hire the solar side directly and hand their roofer a clear deck. Some roofing companies bring a solar crew in as a sub and keep the roof job. Either way, the solar work should be priced and invoiced as its own line so accountability stays clear.
Phoenix Solar Removal is that solar side for Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, and Scottsdale (and the rest of the metro when the schedule allows). We do not take the roof job. We take the array off, stage it, put it back, and confirm it is producing.
What to send when you ask for the solar number
- Property address
- Rough panel count
- When the roofer wants the deck clear
- Whether this is a full replacement, a leak under the array, or a partial
If a panel was already cracked or the system was not producing before removal day, say so up front. Pre-existing damage gets photographed at the start - not argued about at the end.
FAQ
Do I have to use my own roofer?
No. Hire us direct or have your roofer bring us in as the solar sub. The solar line stays separate either way.
Will my house lose power while the array is off?
The solar system is offline from disconnect until reconnect and test. The house stays on utility power. What you lose is solar production for that window, not electricity to the panel.
What happens to the old mounting holes?
They belong to the roof once the feet are off. Your roofer details them into the new roof. That is why panels come off before tear-off.
Do you handle the permit?
It depends on the city and what the job touches. Tell us the address and scope on the call and we will tell you what that jurisdiction needs - no guesswork pasted into a blog post.
What if the original solar company is gone?
You do not need the original installer to detach and reset your equipment. A qualified solar crew can shut down, remove, stage, remount, and prove production on the major panel and racking setups used in the Valley.
Cost and offline window
Need the solar-side number and what "offline" actually means before you schedule tear-off? See solar panel removal cost and the offline window for a Phoenix re-roof.
Get the solar number
Roof bid in hand? Send the address, panel count, and when the deck needs to be clear - or use the call button on this page.