Solar adoption in The Treasure Valley has accelerated significantly in recent years. Idaho Power's service territory and Boise's 205+ sunny days per year make solar a financially attractive option for most homeowners. What many don't account for in the solar decision is the condition of the roof that's going to support those panels for the next 25 years.
Why Roof Condition Matters Before Solar
A residential solar panel system is typically warrantied for 25 years. If your roof is 12 years old when panels are installed, you'll almost certainly need to replace the roof before the solar system reaches the end of its warranty. That means paying to remove and reinstall panels, a cost that most solar companies don't quote in the original system price.
Blue Goat Roofing is the only roofing contractor in The Treasure Valley that handles solar panel removal and reinstallation in-house. On an average Boise home, panel removal and reinstallation adds $1,500 to $3,000 to a roof replacement when done separately. Done at the same time as the original roof replacement, that cost is eliminated.
The Right Order of Operations
If your roof has 10 years or less of remaining life and you're considering solar: replace the roof first, get a solar assessment on the new roof, then install solar on a roof that has 25-plus years of life remaining. The solar company may push back because they want to close the deal now, but the math is clearly in your favor to do the roof first.