Maintenance is everything. Doesn’t matter what you put up if you ignore it for a few winters... or apocalypses.
Couldn’t agree more with this. I’ve seen plenty of “indestructible” roofs fail just because folks skipped checking the flashing or let debris pile up. Malarkey’s solid, but even the best shingles need a little TLC—especially around those solar mounts. Anyone ever tried reinforcing the mounts with extra sealant or flashing? That’s usually where I see leaks start, zombie apocalypse or not.
I’ve always wondered if adding extra sealant around the mounts actually helps long-term or just makes a mess later when you need to swap panels. My neighbor swears by using metal flashing under every bracket, but I went with the manufacturer’s kit and just kept an eye on it after storms. Anyone run into issues with ice damming around solar mounts? That’s been a bigger headache for me than leaks so far.
Anyone run into issues with ice damming around solar mounts? That’s been a bigger headache for me than leaks so far.
I’ve managed a few buildings with solar installs, and honestly, ice damming is the one thing we never really solved. We tried extra sealant once—just made it harder to get the mounts off later, and didn’t seem to help much with the ice. Metal flashing under every bracket sounds good in theory, but I’ve seen it actually channel water in weird ways if it’s not done right. Did you notice more ice buildup after your panels went up, or was it always an issue? Sometimes I wonder if the panels themselves just change how snow melts and refreezes on the roof...
Yeah, I’ve definitely noticed more ice damming since adding panels. Before, the snow just slid off, but now it seems to melt unevenly and then refreeze right at the mounts. I tried heat cables last winter, but honestly, they were kind of a pain to install around the brackets. Anyone else have luck with those?
Heat cables are a bit of a headache with solar mounts, I agree. I’ve seen a few folks try those zig-zag patterns, but getting them to stay in place around the brackets is tricky—plus, they don’t always melt the ice right where you need it. What’s helped on some properties is adding snow guards higher up to slow the slide, so the melting is more gradual. Not perfect, but less mess at the eaves. The combo of panels and brackets just makes winter roof management... interesting.