It’s a homeowner’s worst fear. You look up and see a discolored stain on your ceiling, or worse, an active drip of water, right below your brand new solar array. A roof leak is a serious issue that can lead to thousands of dollars in damage to your home’s structure, insulation, and belongings. When it happens right after a solar installation, it can feel like your smart investment has turned into a costly nightmare.
The most important thing to know is this: a leak that begins after a solar installation is almost always the direct responsibility of the solar installer. The issue is rarely the roof itself; it’s the dozens of new penetrations that were drilled through it to mount your panels. Do not panic. Follow these steps to protect your home, document the issue, and hold the right people accountable.
Step 1: Immediate Damage Control (Protect Your Home FIRST)
Before you pick up the phone to call your installer, your absolute first priority is to mitigate the damage to your home’s interior.
- Move Belongings: Immediately move any furniture, electronics, or valuable items away from the affected area.
- Contain the Water: Place buckets or pans to catch any active drips. If the water is staining a ceiling, a common tactic is to carefully puncture a small hole in the center of the stain to allow the water to drain into a single point in your bucket, preventing it from spreading further across the ceiling drywall.
- Take Photos and Videos: This is critical. Use your smartphone to take clear photos and videos of the active leak and the resulting damage. Document the water stains, any drips, and the damaged belongings. This evidence is invaluable.
Step 2: Notify Your Solar Installer (In Writing!)
Once you’ve managed the immediate situation, you must formally notify your solar installer. While a phone call is a good way to start the conversation, it is not enough. You must create a paper trail.
Follow up any phone call with a clear, professional email. In the email, you should:
- State the date you first noticed the leak.
- Describe the exact location and severity of the leak and the damage.
- Attach the photos and videos you took.
- Explicitly state that you consider this damage to be a result of the recent solar installation and a failure of their workmanship warranty.
- Request an immediate inspection and a plan for repair.
Step 3: Understand Your “Workmanship Warranty”
Your solar system comes with two primary types of warranties. The manufacturer’s warranty covers the physical equipment, like the panels and inverters. However, a roof leak after solar installation is covered by the installer’s workmanship warranty. This warranty guarantees the quality of the labor, including the crucial roof penetrations. Every mount for your solar panels was drilled into your roof and should have been sealed with industrial-grade flashing and sealants to be completely watertight for decades. A leak is a clear sign that this process has failed.What Happens When Your Solar Installer Goes Out of Business? A Homeowner’s Guide.7 Critical Questions to Ask a Solar Salesperson Before You Sign
Step 4: What to Do If Your Installer is Unresponsive
A reputable installer will respond with urgency to a leak claim. They should schedule an inspection, identify the source of the leak, and cover the costs of both the roof repair and any interior damage.
However, less reputable companies may try to avoid responsibility. They might blame the age of your roof, a recent storm, or simply ignore your calls. If your installer is unresponsive, denies responsibility, or has gone out of business, your problem has now evolved from a simple repair issue into a formal dispute.
This is the point where you need to escalate. Fighting a company that is refusing to honor its legal warranty can be incredibly difficult on your own. Our role at SolarDispute.com is to step in when you’ve been ignored or denied. We perform a thorough analysis of your installation contract, your workmanship warranty, and the evidence of damage to build a powerful file that demonstrates the installer’s liability. We then connect you with a specialized attorney who can use this evidence to force the company to make things right.