ROOF LEAK REPAIR UNDER SOLAR PANELS

A roof leak under a solar array is one of the most frustrating problems a Sacramento-area homeowner can face. Most roofing companies will not work around solar without removing the panels first, and most solar installers do not repair roofing. The result is a finger-pointing standoff that lets the leak get worse while your interior damage spreads. Pressler is one of the few contractors in Placer and Sacramento County who is both GAF Master Elite certified and SolarEdge certified, which means we can pull the panels, repair the roof correctly to manufacturer specifications, and reinstall the array with new flashing boots and watertight mount seals.

Solar leaks usually originate at one of four points: the lag-bolt penetrations holding the racking to the roof structure, the conduit penetrations carrying DC wire to the inverter, original installer flashing that was installed over rather than under the surrounding shingles, or aging shingles directly under the array that have lost granules and become brittle. Diagnosis matters because the wrong fix means the leak returns the first storm of the season.

Our process starts in the attic. Moisture meters and infrared imaging trace the water path back from the staining you see to the actual entry point on the roof deck. Often the water enters several feet uphill from where it shows up inside, especially on shallow-pitch suburban roofs in Anatolia, Empire Ranch, and Whitney Ranch. Once we have a confirmed leak source, we plan which panels need to come off, label every mount and wire connection, and stage the work so your solar production downtime is minimized.

Panel removal is done carefully. Microinverter and optimizer connections are documented, racking lag-bolts are backed out, and panels are stacked on padded staging on the roof or moved to ground. The roof repair underneath is then done to full GAF specification: replace failed underlayment, install StormGuard ice and water shield at every penetration, replace any damaged or aged shingles, and rebuild flashing as needed.

Reinstall is where most of the long-term value lives. We replace every mount flashing with new EPDM or aluminum step flashing, re-bed every lag-bolt in roofing sealant rated for the application, and torque mounts to manufacturer spec. Conduit penetrations get new pipe boots. The array is reset to its original azimuth and tilt, panel connections verified, and the system production checked against pre-removal output so you know your solar is performing as it was before.

All work is photo-documented for both your roof warranty and your solar production warranty. Whether the original solar installer is still in business or not, you have the paper trail required to keep both warranties intact.