Replacement & Installation
Solar panel removal and reinstall for Memphis roof work
Solar panels sit on a roof for decades, and the roof under them often needs work first. Getting the panels off, the roof done, and every mount flashed properly when they go back is what decides whether the array leaks.
We answer 24/7 across Memphis and Shelby County
The job
Why the roof comes first
Quick answer
Solar panel removal and reinstall in Memphis means taking the array off safely so the roof underneath can be repaired or replaced, then remounting it with every attachment point flashed into the new roof. The electrical disconnect and reconnect is done by a qualified electrician or the original installer, and MLGW interconnection rules still apply.
Most solar racking is bolted through the roof into the rafters, with flashing at each mount. When the roof under it wears out, the array has to come off, and every one of those penetrations has to be sealed again in the new roof.
Panels are fragile and wired together, so removal is planned: the system is shut down, panels are labeled, removed and stored safely, and the racking comes off in an order that makes reinstallation straightforward.
Cost
What affects the cost of solar removal and reinstall
Removal and reinstall is priced by the size of the array and the roof it sits on.
- Number of panels
More panels mean more removal and reinstall time.
- Racking type
Rail and rail-less systems come off differently.
- Roof pitch
Steep roofs slow safe panel handling.
- Storage
On-site storage or off-site transport.
- Electrical work
Disconnect and reconnect by a qualified electrician.
- Mount flashing
New flashing for every attachment point.
- Roof work
The repair or replacement itself is priced separately.
What is included
What removal and reinstall includes
- Shutdown
System de-energized before any work.
- Labeling
Panels and strings labeled for reassembly.
- Removal and storage
Panels stored off the ground and covered.
- Racking removal
Rails and mounts taken off the roof.
- Roof work
Repair or replacement with the deck exposed.
- New mount flashing
Every attachment flashed into the new roof.
- Racking reinstall
Rails set into rafters at the original layout.
- Panel reinstall
Panels reset and reconnected by an electrician.
- System check
Output confirmed and photos sent.
Panel removal before a reroof
If your roof will need replacing within a few years, it is cheaper to do it before panels go on, and if the panels are already there, the roof has to be done around them. We plan the removal with you and the system's installer or an electrician: the system is shut down and disconnected, each panel is labeled and removed, and the racking comes off. Panels are stored on site, off the ground and covered, until the new roof is finished and ready for them.
Reinstallation and mount flashing
When the new roof is on, the racking goes back into the rafters at the original layout, and each attachment gets a flashing made for that mount, woven into the shingle courses rather than sealed on top. That is the detail that keeps a solar roof dry for decades. We photograph every mount before the panels go back on. The panels are then reset on the rails, and the electrical reconnection is completed by a qualified electrician before the system returns to service.
Leak repair around solar mounts
Leaks under solar arrays usually trace to mounts that were sealed with caulk instead of flashed, or to lag bolts that missed the rafter. Finding them means looking under the panels, sometimes removing one or two. We re-flash failed mounts, move any that missed framing, and repair the decking around them. If the roof itself is near the end of its life, we tell you, because repairing mounts on a failing roof only delays a bigger removal. Every mount we touch is photographed.
Local conditions
Solar and roof work in the MLGW territory
In the MLGW service area, about 99 percent of distributed generation systems sit at homes and businesses, mostly on rooftops, so roof work under panels is a normal part of Memphis roofing. A rooftop system here needs a building and electrical permit plus an MLGW interconnection application, and MLGW advises against installers starting construction before it approves an application. A 2026 Memphis solar cost guide gives the simple rule: if a roof will need replacing within five years, replace it before the panels go on.
How it runs
How a solar removal and reinstall runs
- 01
Plan
Array, racking and roof checked; electrical work scheduled.
- 02
Shut down
System de-energized by a qualified electrician.
- 03
Remove and store
Panels labeled, removed and stored safely.
- 04
Roof work
Repair or replacement with the deck exposed.
- 05
Flash and remount
New mount flashing, racking reset into rafters.
- 06
Reconnect and check
Electrical reconnection and an output check.
Timeline
How long the roof and solar work takes
On a typical home, removal takes a day, the roof work follows its normal schedule, and reinstallation takes another day or two. The array is offline for the whole period, so we keep the gap as short as the roof work allows.
Scheduling the electrical disconnect and reconnect is the step that most often sets the timeline, which is why we plan it before the first panel comes off.
FAQ
Solar and roofing questions
If the roof will need replacing within a few years, yes. It avoids paying to remove and reinstall the panels later.
It can if the work is not done to the maker's requirements. Check your warranty and involve the original installer where possible.
No. A qualified electrician or the original installer handles the disconnect and reconnect; we handle the roof, racking and flashing.
Usually for the length of the roof work, plus a day or two for reinstallation.
Usually a mount sealed with caulk instead of flashing, or a bolt that missed the rafter. Both can be fixed.