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...