Yeah, replacing first is definitely the smarter move. I almost made the same mistake—my shingles were around 18 years old, looked decent enough, figured they'd hold up. But a buddy convinced me otherwise (thank goodness), and when they pulled the old shingles off, there was already some hidden rot starting underneath. Dodged a bullet there. Honestly, solar panels are a long-term investment, might as well make sure your roof's ready to go the distance too...
Definitely agree with getting the roof sorted first. I've inspected homes where solar panels were installed on older roofs, and trust me, it's not pretty when moisture gets trapped or hidden leaks develop underneath. Fixing that later is a headache you don't want...
I'd second the caution about older roofs, but wouldn't say solar panels automatically "mess up" your roof. The real issue is that installing panels involves drilling and sealing anchor points. If your shingles are already brittle or nearing the end of their lifespan, these penetrations can accelerate deterioration and leaks. Seen it happen plenty of times. It's not impossible to install safely on an older roof, but honestly, it's usually smarter—and cheaper long-term—to reroof first, then go solar.
Yeah, good points there. I've seen neighbors put solar on older roofs without issues, but honestly, it feels like rolling the dice. Wonder if anyone's tried those newer mounting systems that claim fewer penetrations—do they actually hold up long-term?
"Wonder if anyone's tried those newer mounting systems that claim fewer penetrations—do they actually hold up long-term?"
I've installed a few of those low-penetration mounts, and yeah, they're solid if done right. Key is proper flashing and sealing—skimp there and you're asking for leaks down the line. Seen it happen...
