Have you been thinking about solar panels for your home or maybe you have been approached by door knockers offering ‘no payment upfront’ installs and everything just sounds like a really good idea because you get the system you want without having to fork out thousands of dollars? Solar panels are an excellent way to save money on your electricity bills and can even in some instances make you money, but what is the real cost of these deals and what should you be aware of when dealing with these companies? As someone who sees roof leak issues almost daily in my line of work, discuss some of the main points to think about when researching solar for your home.
What Guarantees Do They Have On Your Workmanship?
This question i believe is important to ask because in my experience, the people installing the systems don’t tend to know anything about roofing in particular. It is not uncommon for them to break tiles, create roof leak issues through poor installation methods or leave tiles out completely! I have seen some ridiculous things in my time doing maintenance and have even experienced them on my own home. I built a home over ten years ago that came with a solar system installed. It wasn’t until i had begun working in the roof maintenance industry that i decided to check my own roof and what i found wasn’t very good at all. I discovered that when they had installed the rail that the panels are attached to, they had tightened it so tight they had cracked the tile underneath. Not only did they not replace the tile, they didn’t even silicone the break and i had water dripping into my roof and being absorbed by my insulation batts(Luckily not the ceiling, yet).
I write this blog today(a sunday) because as an experienced roof repairer i was called out to a customers home who, having just had their solar panels installed a week ago discovered a tile had been left open sitting right there on the roof. The ceiling inside was just starting to show bubbling of the paint inside and they called me to inspect their roof in case there was any more issues. On top of the removed tile i found six broken tiles (silicone sealed but they did not relay that information to the customer), tiles moved up out of their designated position to install panel rails and the front hip of the roof (where they had walked the panels over the roof), siliconed over with one of the ridge caps put on upside down and sealed over leaving a huge gap!
How Much Is This System Really Going To Cost?
This question you should ask yourself and as the age old saying goes ‘you get what you pay for’, definitely rings true in this case. This customer was approached by a door knocker and offered the no money upfront solar system, we just take your solar credits scheme. Now this is just one case, but let me tell you it is far from being a one off when it comes to roof leak issues and roof repair works in my area! I have seen plenty of examples of poor or even lazy workmanship standards and it makes me feel for my customers, who often get stuck with the bill and the stress of such a careless job.
Roof Leaks, Repair and Maintenance
I always talk about the importance of getting your roof inspected especially before the wetter months, but I can’t stress this point enough. If you have someone on your roof to clean your gutter, fit an antennae, install air-conditioning, solar panels, pool heating or anything else, make sure you get an experienced, trustworthy person or even yourself to check they haven’t damaged your roof. It may well save you a lot of headache and money. Working Class Hands is an experienced roof leak repair based in Padbury and we offer our services to the northern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia. We offer free roof inspections, quotes and honest advice to our customers to ensure that they receive the same level of customer service that we would expect.