The history of rooftop solar mounting solutions is one that reflects the relentless pursuit of efficiency, durability, ease of installation and homeowner satisfaction. What’s incredible about the evolution of solar mounting is how it has evolved and come full circle with new products that have been used in the construction industry for many years, proving to be a time-tested technology.
Credit: SnapNrack
Original solar systems were mounted to roofs using a combination of standard building materials such as Unistrut, sealant, butyl pads and off-the-shelf screws. Solar installers felt the pain of using these products originally designed for other purposes and that quickly led them to develop a new product category: solar racking.
As the solar racking industry started to grow, different companies found ways to innovate in different areas. Some focused on installation efficiency and installer ease-of-use, while others focused on roof protection and code compliance. Due to influence from roofing industry groups, the solar racking industry focused more on mechanically flashed solutions secured to a structural member.
As solar has become more mainstream and the industry has started to grow with new professionals and new insight, solar racking manufacturers have moved away from traditional mechanical flashings and rafter mounting. This has led to a recent boom in innovation within solar mounting around direct-to-deck solutions and chemically flashed solutions.
The current challenges in solar mounting (and the solution)
Currently direct-to-deck solutions are a popular choice for rooftop solar installations, but installers and homeowners have raised their concerns about these attachments. Using four to six fasteners in traditional installations increases the number of fasteners secured to the roof with direct-to-deck mounting, and this commonly raises worries about potential roof leaks. Installers are constantly focused on maintaining the integrity of the roof structure, and the excessive use of screws can cause hesitancy around the overall stability and weatherproofing of the installation.
The truth is that missed pilot holes are the main cause of roof leaks in the solar industry, and direct-to-deck mounting solutions eliminate the need for pilot holes. This means what’s needed is a solution that’s direct-to-deck mounting but has a reduced number of fasteners and still meets structural engineering requirements.
So how does one reduce the number of required screws? By changing the screw itself. The construction industry has long required specific screws for specific applications, whether it be drywall anchors, wood screws, sheet metal screws or concrete anchors. Now is the time for the solar industry to start using specialized screws to reduce the quantity of fasteners and provide a secure mounting solution while maintaining the roof integrity and structural loading requirements.
The SnapNrack DeckAnchor is an example of this type of product as it provides a unique solution for mounting to the roof deck using two screws instead of four to six.
Peel and stick sealing technology using butyl has become the most recent trend among solar racking companies for roofing attachments. Butyl is a proven means of weatherproofing and sealing that has stood the test of time in many industries such as roofing, automotive and aerospace. When applied properly, butyl is an incredibly strong solution for waterproofing solar attachments on roofs.
Most manufacturers use standard 1/8”-thick butyl, which may not fill all the holes, crevices and irregularities of a textured composition shingle roof. Without adequate butyl, these attachments can require using additional sealant to properly bond. This has resulted in applying additional sealant or more butyl strips to cover gaps or changes in shingle layers.
These limitations on standard butyl have hindered the adoption of the sealing technology by many solar installers in the industry. This reluctance has led to improvements in butyl that have resulted in thicker and more reliable sealing solutions. Some of these solutions include butyl that’s three-times the thickness of standard butyl strips, as well as solutions that include a layer of foam for enhanced malleability.
Credit: SnapNrack
The goal is to ensure a proper seal throughout the life of the solar system, even with changing roof conditions. This enhanced sealing not only contributes to the overall durability of the installation but also provides peace of mind to both installers and homeowners. For example, SnapNrack AnchorFoot has a 0.2”-thick butyl pad that is three-times the thickness of industry-standard butyl.
With the diversity in roof types and conditions across the industry, it’s important to understand the need for multiple installation methods and attachment styles. There are cases where a roof has unique structural considerations such as structural insulated panels, truss joists, I-joists or metal purlins, and will require a direct-to-deck mounting solution.
Additionally, there are situations where the roof decking is inadequate to support direct-to-deck attachments due to sheathing thickness or other environmental conditions and requires a rafter mounting solution. The key takeaway here is that there is a need for versatility across different installation conditions.
Installation companies and crews do not need to carry multiple attachments for composition roofs when they can have a single solution that provides installation flexibility. This is why a solution with the ability to mount directly to the deck as well as to a structural member is ideal. What’s even more ideal is if the solution has multiple fastening options for each situation and allows for rafter mounting using a single lag screw or two wood screws as well as deck mounting using four wood screws or two SnapNrack DeckAnchors.
The history of rooftop solar mounting solutions is marked by a continuous pursuit of innovation to address a variety of install challenges to varying roof applications. Recent products have shown that the industry is evolving to make solar installations more efficient, reliable and adaptable to diverse roof conditions. As new technologies are embraced in the solar industry, rooftop solar mounting solutions will continue to increase both homeowner confidence and installer satisfaction.
