Clermont · Orange City
Your solar company closed. Here is what to do about the roof.
Several solar installers that sold systems in Florida have closed or gone through bankruptcy in recent years. If yours is one of them, you may have panels on a roof that leaks or is wearing out, and nobody to call. This page covers the roof side: what to do first, who is responsible for what, and what we can and cannot do. It is not legal advice.
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Florida State Certified Roofing Contractor CCC1335461 · Florida State Certified Building Contractor CBC1268061
If the roof is leaking right now
- Take photos and a short video of the leak, the ceiling, and the spots where the mounts go through the roof. Date them.
- Keep water out as safely as you can from inside. Do not climb onto a roof with panels on it: they are slippery, and the wiring stays live in daylight.
- Gather the paperwork: your contract, permit number, the panel and inverter serial numbers, any warranty papers, and your loan or lease details.
- Do not let anyone unbolt or move the panels unless they are licensed in Florida to work on solar systems.
Who is responsible for what
The roof, and the spots where mounts pass through it. That is roofing work. The installer’s promise on their workmanship usually ended when the company did, so the repair is now yours to arrange.
The panels, inverter and wiring. That is solar work. Equipment warranties are often tied to the equipment, not the installer, so keep your serial numbers and ask the manufacturer.
Your loan or lease. It is a separate contract and usually continues. Ask whoever bills you who services it now. For complaints about a contractor, Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the Attorney General’s consumer protection office are the public places to start.
Does the roof need a repair or a new roof?
Four things decide it: the flashing and sealant around every mount, the roof deck underneath for moisture, the age and condition of the roofing material, and how many years the roof has left compared with the panels above it. We inspect all four and tell you plainly which you need.
If the roof only needs a repair, we repair around the panels. If it needs replacing, the panels have to come off before the new roof goes on and be put back afterward. We coordinate that with a licensed solar contractor we work with, so you are not left to find one on your own while the roof is open to the weather.
What we do, and what we don’t
We are roofers. We inspect the roof, repair or replace it, and detail the points where mounts pass through it so the roof is not the weak point. The panels, inverters and wiring are handled by a licensed solar contractor, and we schedule the two jobs around each other. We do not sell solar panels. If you are still weighing solar on a roof that is getting old, our page on solar and your roof covers the order to do things in.
Roof inspections, no obligation
Find out what shape your roof is in
The estimator returns a price from your address on screen, or call (352) 242-4322.
Solar company closed: common roof questions
My solar company went out of business and my roof is leaking. Who do I call?
A roofer for the roof and a licensed solar contractor for the panels. We handle the roof, and we coordinate the panel side with a licensed solar contractor we work with, so one call gets both moving. If the leak is active, take photos and keep the area as dry as you safely can first.
Can a roofer remove and reinstall solar panels?
The panels, inverters and wiring are solar work, so that part is done by a licensed solar contractor, not by roofers. We schedule the roof work around that contractor so the panels come off, the roof is repaired or replaced, and the panels go back on in the right order.
Do the panels have to come off for a new roof?
Yes. A roof cannot be replaced underneath panels, so they come off first and go back on afterward. If the roof only needs a repair, the repair can often be made around the panels once the leak is traced to its source.
Does the installer's warranty still apply after the company closed?
It depends on the paperwork, and a workmanship warranty from a company that no longer exists is usually hard to use. Warranties on the panels and inverters are often tied to the equipment itself, so keep your serial numbers and contact the manufacturer. Whoever repairs your roof should give you their warranty terms in writing before work starts.
Do I still owe my solar loan or lease?
Usually yes. The loan or lease is a contract with a lender or lease company, separate from the installer, so it normally continues. Contact whoever bills you to find out who now services it. This is general information, not legal advice.
Can solar panels make a roof leak?
Yes, at the points where the mounts pass through the roofing. A mount that is flashed into the roof sheds water; a mount sealed as an afterthought tends to fail within a few seasons. The roof inspection looks at every one. Our page on solar and your roof explains the details.