Service Area: San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles
Service Area: San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles
Need your solar panels removed for a roof repair or replacement? Solion Energy is San Diego’s trusted R&R specialist – fast scheduling, clean removal, and precise reinstallation so your system performs like new. We work directly with homeowners and roofing contractors across San Diego County, and we understand that your roof project can’t wait around for a solar company that’s slow to respond.
If you have solar panels on your roof, they need to come off before any significant roofing work can begin — and go back on correctly when the work is done. This isn’t a job for your roofing contractor to figure out on-site. Solar systems involve DC wiring, roof penetrations, and racking hardware that require a licensed electrical contractor with hands-on solar experience.
The most common situations that require solar panel removal and reinstall:
Roof replacement
The most common reason for RNR. If your roof is at the end of its life and needs a full tear-off and replacement, all panels and racking must be removed first. After the new roof is installed, the system goes back on with fresh penetration seals and waterproofing.
Partial roof repair
If damage or leak repair affects the section of roof where panels are mounted, those panels need to come off to give your roofer clean access. We can remove just the affected panels rather than the entire array if the scope allows.
Roof coating or elastomeric application
Many San Diego homeowners opt for cool roof coatings, tile sealers, or elastomeric applications to extend roof life. These treatments can’t be applied under or around mounted solar equipment — the panels come off, the coating goes on, and the system goes back.
Pest abatement and bird exclusion
Pigeons and other birds nesting under solar panels are a common issue in San Diego. Full exclusion requires panel removal to install proper mesh skirting. Some pest control companies coordinate directly with us for this.
System relocation or panel replacement
If you’re reconfiguring your system layout, replacing failed panels, or moving equipment as part of a home addition or ADU build, we handle the removal and reinstallation as a standalone scope.
Solar removal and reinstall looks simple from the outside. In practice, it requires careful documentation, proper deenergization, and precise reinstallation – a rushed or careless RNR job can leave you with leaking roof penetrations, loose racking, or a system that underperforms because the wiring wasn’t reconnected correctly.
Here’s how our process works:
Step 1: Scheduling & Coordination
We move quickly. When you contact us, we get your job on the calendar and coordinate directly with your roofing contractor on timing. Our goal is to remove panels the day before or the morning of the roof work, and reinstall as soon as the roofer gives us the all-clear – minimizing your system’s downtime.
Step 2: System Documentation
Before we touch anything, we document the existing system in full: panel layout, string configuration, wiring runs, and all roof attachment points. This documentation ensures the system goes back exactly as designed – not reassembled from memory.
Step 3: Safe Deenergization & Panel Removal
We safely deenergize the system, disconnect all wiring per code, and remove panels and racking using the correct tools and techniques. Panels are labeled, carefully handled, and stored securely on-site or moved as needed to give your roofing crew full access.
Step 4: Roof Work Coordination
While your roofer does their work, we stay in contact to confirm timing for reinstall. If your roofer identifies any issues with the existing roof deck or flashing that could affect the solar remount, we discuss it before the reinstall – not after.
Step 5: Reinstallation & Recommissioning
Once the roofing work is complete and approved, we reinstall the racking, mount the panels, reconnect all wiring, and recommission the system. We verify the system is producing correctly before we leave, and we document the completed reinstall for your records.
Step 6: 30-Day Workmanship Warranty
Every Solion RNR job includes a 30-day workmanship warranty covering our installation work. If anything related to our scope causes an issue within 30 days of reinstall – a leak at a penetration point, a connection issue, anything – we come back and address it at no charge.
If you’re a roofing contractor in San Diego, you already know the problem: homeowners with solar don’t always have a plan for the panels before demo day, and finding a solar company that responds quickly, shows up when they say they will, and doesn’t create problems for your timeline is harder than it should be.
Solion works with roofing contractors throughout San Diego County on an ongoing basis. We understand how our scope fits into a roofing project, and we’ve built our RNR process around minimizing friction for the roofer — not creating it.
What roofing contractors can expect when working with Solion:
We coordinate so both trades can hit their deadlines – and protect their warranties.
One of the most overlooked risks in a roofing project that involves solar is the warranty question: who’s responsible if there’s a leak at a roof penetration point six months later? When the solar removal and roofing work aren’t properly sequenced, that question can get complicated fast – and neither the roofer nor the solar company wants to be holding it.
We’ve worked alongside enough San Diego roofing contractors to know where those friction points are. We stage our removal around your demo schedule, communicate directly with your crew on sequencing, and make sure our reinstallation – penetrations, flashing, racking attachment – is done in a way that doesn’t create ambiguity about your roofing warranty or ours. When both scopes are coordinated properly from the start, the job moves faster, callbacks don’t happen, and the homeowner doesn’t end up in the middle of a dispute about who caused what.
If you want to establish an ongoing referral relationship for San Diego roofing projects, give us a call. We work with roofing contractors on a repeat basis and value those relationships.
Roof projects are stressful enough without a solar company holding up your timeline. Our RNR work is designed to move at the pace your project requires.
Typical turnaround:
Most residential RNR jobs — removal, storage during roof work, and full reinstallation — are completed within the same week as the roofing project. For straightforward systems (24 panels or fewer, single-story, composition shingle), removal typically takes a half day and reinstall takes a half to full day. Larger systems, tile roofs, or complex configurations will take longer, and we’ll give you an accurate time estimate upfront.
What our 30-day workmanship warranty covers:
Our workmanship warranty covers any defects in our installation work for 30 days after reinstall. This includes:
It does not cover pre-existing system issues, equipment failures unrelated to our work, or roof leaks in areas we didn’t work on.
What about the original equipment warranty?
The manufacturer warranties on your solar panels and inverters are not affected by a properly performed removal and reinstallation. Panels are warrantied to the product and its performance characteristics — careful handling and correct reinstallation is all that’s required to maintain coverage. We’ll flag any panels that show physical damage during the removal process so you have documentation.
RNR pricing depends on system size, roof type, and the number of panels involved. A typical residential system generally runs between $175 and $200 per pannel. We provide itemized quotes – you’ll know the exact cost before we schedule anything. Note that many homeowner’s insurance policies cover RNR costs when a roof is being replaced due to weather damage, so it’s worth checking your policy.
Most roofing contractors will decline this work, and for good reason – it requires a licensed electrical contractor to safely deenergize, disconnect, and reconnect a solar system. A roofer who does it anyway takes on liability they’re not licensed for, and you take on the risk of a system that wasn’t recommissioned correctly. The right approach is to use a licensed solar installer for the solar scope and your roofer for the roofing scope.
That depends on how long the roof work takes. The panels come off before your roofer starts and go back on as soon as the roofer finishes and the surface is ready. For a typical one or two-day re-roof, you’re looking at two to four days of downtime at most. We schedule reinstall as quickly as possible to minimize lost production.
Ideally, you contact us early and introduce us directly to your roofing contractor. From there, we coordinate the schedule directly with your roofer. Most homeowners don’t need to be in the middle of that conversation – we handle it.
We work on systems from any installer or brand. As long as the equipment is functioning, we can remove and reinstall it. If we identify panels or components that have failed or are near end-of-life, we’ll document it and discuss your options – but the RNR scope itself isn’t dependent on who originally installed the system.
Yes – we serve the full San Diego County area for removal and reinstall work, including Chula Vista, El Cajon, Poway, Escondido, Carlsbad, Encinitas, La Mesa, Santee, and all surrounding communities.
Generate answer (First get approval from leasing company and then we’ll submit documentation needed. We are approved for most leasing and PPA companies.)
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BBB A+ Accredited
Licensed C-10 Electrical Contractor
Tesla Powerwall Certified Installer
Qcell & Enphase Authorized Dealer
Locally owned and operated in San Diego since 2020
Got a roofing project coming up? Contact us early – the earlier we’re in the loop, the smoother the scheduling. We work around your roofer’s timeline.
“The team at Solion Energy was an amazing group to work with. From the initial quote to the final walkthrough, everything was handled professionally and transparently.”
Audel C.
Google Review
“Jake and his team were very professional. They showed up on time and got the job done in the duration promised. It just passed inspection and is up and running!”
Jack B.
Google Review
“Professional, knowledgeable, and honest throughout the entire process. I appreciated that Jake explained everything clearly and never tried to upsell me on equipment I didn’t need.”
Mary J.
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