Leak Under Your Solar Panels? A Homeowner's Troubleshooting Guide

A ceiling stain that shows up after you've gone solar is stressful. You may wonder whether the panels caused it, whether your warranty covers it, and who to call.

This fall, roof leaks were one of the most common service calls we ran across Westchester. Some leaks were at the solar mounts. Others had nothing to do with the panels at all. In one home, we found both on the same roof. Here's how to sort out what's going on.

Is it the panels? Five things to check from inside and the ground

Don't climb onto the roof. Wet shingles and panel edges are slippery, and stepping on panels can crack them. Everything below can be done from your attic, your yard, or a window.

1. Match the stain to the array. Stand outside and note where the panels sit. If the ceiling stain is directly under the array, the mounts are a suspect. If it's under a part of the roof with no panels, the panels probably aren't the cause.
2. Look in the attic during or right after rain. Use a flashlight to follow the water trail up the rafters and roof deck. A drip at a single bolt-sized spot often points to a mount. A wider wet area usually points to shingles or underlayment.
3. Check vents, chimneys and skylights first. Plumbing vent boots, chimney flashing and old skylights fail on their own, with or without solar. On one Briarcliff Manor roof this fall, we found a leak under the panels and a second leak that had nothing to do with solar.
4. Note when it leaks. A leak only in wind-driven rain points to flashing. A leak after snow melt points to ice dams. A leak in every rain points to a failed seal or damaged shingle.
5. Take photos and dates. Photos of the stain, the attic, and the roof from the ground help us diagnose faster and help with any warranty claim.

Small things cause big leaks. The photo at the top of this post is from one of this fall's leak inspections: a nail head that has worked its way up through a shingle. Every gap like that is a path for water to reach the roof deck.

Older systems need a closer look. Many Westchester homes have systems from installers that are no longer around, such as early SolarCity installs. Mounts from that era often relied on sealant that breaks down over 10+ years. On one Pound Ridge home this fall, we removed the panels and patched the roof underneath before anything could be reinstalled.

How we fix it, and when to call

Call us as soon as you see a stain under the array. Small leaks soak the roof deck and insulation long before they show on the ceiling.

Because we're both a roofer and a solar installer, one crew handles the whole job:

1. Inspection. We check the mounts, flashing, vents and shingles under and around the array, and tell you which leak is solar-related and which isn't.
2. Remove and reinstall. If the leak is under the panels, we take down only the panels in the way, fix the roof, and put them back with new flashed attachments.
3. Roof repair. We repair or replace the damaged area, and we'll tell you honestly if the roof is near the end of its life and worth replacing before the panels go back up.
4. Recommission. We confirm every panel is producing and your monitoring is reporting before we leave.

We service systems we installed and systems we didn't, including older SolarCity installs.

Seeing a stain under your panels? Request a service visit and include your photos.

Related reading: Solar Panel Maintenance: How to Maintain Your Solar Panels.