Leaks at Solar Mounts

Why mount penetrations fail

• Sealant used as the waterproofing instead of a flashing — sealant has a far shorter life than a roof
• Mounts fastened into sheathing rather than into rafters, which works loose over years of thermal movement
• Flashing installed over the shingle course instead of woven into it, so water runs under rather than over
• Cracked tiles on a tile roof, broken during installation and never noticed
• Conduit and wire management resting directly on the covering, abrading it

Finding the source

Water enters at a mount and travels along the deck before it appears inside, so the interior stain rarely sits beneath the breach. On a shaded roof under an array, water also dries slowly, which means damage accumulates before anything shows.

We test rather than lift panels at random — targeted water testing, starting from the drainage path rather than from the stain.

What a proper repair looks like

• A flashing, correctly woven into the covering, not a bead of sealant
• The mount relocated into a rafter if it was never in one
• The deck inspected and replaced where it has gone soft
• All nearby mounts checked, because the one that leaked was installed the same way as its neighbours

If the roof is also old

A mount leak on a roof with four years left is a repair you will pay for twice. At that point the honest answer is to plan the re-roof and the R&R together rather than spend on a repair that gets torn off shortly afterwards.

We will tell you which situation you are in and show you the evidence.

Common questions