As solar energy becomes more popular, an increasing number of homes are sporting rooftop solar panels. While this is significant for the environment and your electricity bill, your home may not be able to be sold if this happens.
Removal of solar panels is considered when solar panels are no longer needed. We have put together this guide for you, providing an outline of what to expect and tips from our own experience to help and make it easier.
We can walk through all aspects from start to finish – who should you call? What exactly does removal entail? Most importantly, we’ll give you a rough estimate of what you can expect to pay!
Removing And Reinstalling Solar Panels
If you purchased a solar system installed before the recent boom in solar panel technology, your solar panels may not be fully functional. In this case, chances are you can remove the existing panels and reinstall them with a new installation.
If your solar panels have a battery in them and you’re looking to install a solar panel system that does not include a battery, you’ll need to remove your old panel and install a new solar panel.
Since solar panels are generally installed on the roof, it may be necessary to use bucket trucks to proceed with their replacement. Solar power is the most commonly installed form of renewable energy in Australia, where around 30% of homes have rooftop solar panels.
What Is The Cost Involved In Removing Solar Panels?
One of the direct costs of solar panel removal is installation. Whether it was new or retrofitted on top of your existing system, you’ll need to find out what it cost you for installation.
Removing solar panels from your roof can be a little more complicated than it looks on the surface. The solar panel purchased based on $/watt increments when you first installed them.
However, removing and reinstalling these systems is necessary for any customization work, such as customizing mounting spaces or fixing an aesthetic issue with shading surfaces that might have been created by other objects nearby.
However, to remove and reinstall the solar panels on your roof, you will need to pay around $250-$300 per panel. This price can vary depending on how much work needs to be done with removing installing these units.
Whenever you find that your solar panel system needs repairs, expect to spend an additional $250-$2K. The costs will depend on how much damage is done and whether they require penetrations in the roof or panels to be repaired at all; it could even cost as little as 500!
Is There A Special Type Of Solar Panel Removal?
If your solar panels are installed with what’s called fibreglass on the roof, you’ll need a specialized solar panel removal company to remove these as part of the removal process. These need special cleaning equipment to remove the fibreglass without damaging the solar panels.
Time Required to Remove and Reinstall Solar Panel
Removing your solar panels and installing new ones can be done in as little of a day. However, make sure that there are no delays with installing shingles on roofs because it could lead to downtime for other important projects around this time.
In a residential system of (5-20kW), it may take one day to remove the solar panels and repair them, while 2 or 3 days will be needed to reinstall everything once the repairs have been completed.
Commercial projects in removing panels from the roof take more time, which requires about 3 days for 50 kW or more power generation capacity systems depending upon conditions at the site.
After the repair work has been completed, reinstallation takes 8 – 10 days (depending on the type of roof).
Factors To Consider When Removing Solar Panels
Solar panel removal is going to be a complex project. It would be best to consider various factors to ensure that you can have a clean and safe replacement system in place.
1. Professionals are required
After a decision is made about your home’s roof, it’s best to get any required permits in order and hire qualified and reliable solar panel removal professionals to carry out the necessary work. It would help if you had professionals assess the situation and confirm that your roof is safe to use. Solar panel removal service by Jack Cliff will carry out the project until the customer is completely satisfied with the service.
2. Clear the Installation Site
After removing your solar panels, you’re going to need to have your roof cleaned and inspected. Solar panel removal pros use high-powered brooms and brushes to sweep and remove dirt and debris from the site.
3. Expenses not Expected
What if something goes wrong? You’re in luck! It’s important to find the right company for your system, but mistakes still happen.
Mistakes can add unexpected costs that can create scenarios like this one in which a miscommunication between ourselves and our removal partner led to damaged panels on-site rather than being taken away as planned.
Conclusion
Installing solar panels on your roof is an investment that will provide you with clean energy and long-lasting, high-quality performance for years to come.
Install the system early on well-conditioned roofs for a longer lifespan than what’s paid back.
Knowing what can be removed and what cannot, you can compile a list of factors that you would like to consider before the solar panel removal process begins.
Looking to learn more about solar panel removal and installation?
Take a look at Jack Cliff electrical’s solar panel removal page. You can find a lot of useful tips and advice on this site for home solar installers and removals.