Remove and reinstall
Solar Panel Removal and Reinstall for a New Roof
We shut the system down, take the array off, store it, and put it back once your roofer is done. The work is electrical first: the system is de-energized and verified before a connector opens, and it is tested against its own baseline before we leave.
Reviewed 2026-09-24
Google reviews
1,463 across four profiles
Family-owned
Since 1996
Licensed and insured
VA 2705031092
On every install
Master electrician on site
Backed by
Workmanship warranty
Answer first
How solar panel removal for a roof replacement works
We shut the system down on the electrical side, remove the modules and racking, store them, and reinstall and recommission the array after the new roof is on. Before anything comes off, we record the system's production and label every module's position. After it goes back up, we test it against that baseline. We schedule the work around your roofer and agree in writing who installs and flashes the new attachments.
- Fairfax County lists solar panels among the work that needs a permit. We confirm with the county whether the reinstall needs its own record and inspection, and we pull it when it does.
- Your net metering stays in place. Dominion treats the home as a net metering premise until it is told the system has been removed.
- We remove and reinstall systems other companies installed.
- The site visit and the written price are free.
Before anything comes off
The most common remove-and-reinstall problem is a system that comes back different than it went up. The prep work prevents that.
- 01
Production baseline
We save a monitoring snapshot and the inverter readings, so the reinstalled system has something to match.
- 02
Position map and photos
Every module, microinverter, and home run gets a position label and a photo before it is touched.
- 03
Condition check
Cracked glass, brittle connectors, corroded grounding, and old microinverters get found now, not after the roof is on.
- 04
Records and ownership
We pull the permit record and the equipment list. If the system is leased, the leasing company approves the work first.
- 05
Roofer schedule
We set the removal date close to the tear-off and hold a reinstall date for when the roof is finished.
The shutdown and the removal
Solar modules make voltage whenever light hits them. Turning off a breaker in the house does not make the roof safe to work on. The shutdown goes in order: the AC disconnect, the solar breaker, the rapid shutdown, and then a meter check that the circuits are dead before any connector opens.
Then the modules come off, along with the microinverters or optimizers, the rails, and the attachments. Conduit and junction boxes on the roof are capped and secured for the roofer. The house keeps its utility power the whole time.
Storage while the roof is open
The modules are stored by position, protected from the roofing crew's traffic and from the weather, and kept with their hardware so each piece goes back where it came from. Parts that failed the condition check are set aside with photos for a warranty claim or a replacement price.
Reinstall, reinspection, and the utility
On the new roof we set flashed attachments, reinstall the racking, and put every module and microinverter back in its position. Then we re-terminate the wiring, torque the connections, confirm grounding and bonding continuity, and restart the system in order. It is not done until it matches the baseline.
Fairfax County's permit guide lists solar panels among the residential work that needs a permit, while a like-for-like shingle replacement does not. We confirm with the county at the start whether the reinstall needs its own solar record and inspection, and we pull it when it does. Arlington, Loudoun, Prince William, and the independent cities each get the same check.
Putting the same equipment back does not add capacity, so there is nothing new to approve with the utility. If you upgrade modules or add panels during the reinstall, that is added capacity, and Virginia rules require notice to the utility before the work starts.
Working with your roofer
The roofer owns the roof. We own the electrical system and the array. The one place those overlap is the attachments, so we settle in writing who installs and flashes them, and every penetration has one owner.
Every sunny day the array is down is production you do not get back. We schedule removal close to the tear-off and reinstall as soon as the roof is finished. If the roofer finds rotted decking, Fairfax County requires a permit for replacing 256 square feet or more of roof plywood, which can move the schedule, and we adjust with it.
While the array is down
A roof job is the cheapest moment to fix other things. Failing microinverters can be swapped while they are within reach. A crowded panel can be replaced before the array is reconnected. A battery or added panels can be designed into the reinstall so the utility paperwork is filed once.
Straight answers
Questions
- How much does it cost to remove and reinstall solar panels?
- We price it in writing after a free site visit. The number depends on the module count, the racking type, the roof pitch and access, and the condition of the parts coming off.
- Do I need a permit to take my solar panels off for a new roof?
- Fairfax County lists solar panels among work that needs a permit, and a like-for-like shingle replacement on its own does not. We confirm the requirement with the county for your address and pull the permit when the reinstall needs one.
- Will removing the panels affect my warranty?
- Check your module and inverter warranty documents for their installation requirements. We reinstall to the manufacturer's instructions and document the work with photos and test results, which is what a later warranty claim will ask for.
- Will I lose net metering while the panels are off?
- No. Dominion treats the home as a net metering premise until it is told the system has been removed. A temporary removal for a roof is not a cancellation.
- My original installer is gone. Can you still do the removal?
- Yes. We remove and reinstall systems other companies installed, and we use the job to rebuild the equipment list and the permit record if they are missing.
Sources
- Fairfax County Land Development Services: Does my project require a permit?
- Fairfax County Land Development Services: Solar (SOLARR) Residential permit
- Dominion Energy Virginia: Net Metering (application steps, sizing, FAQs)
- 20VAC5-315-30: Net metering company notification (Virginia SCC rules)
- Federal Trade Commission: Solar Power for Your Home
Next step
Schedule your removal with your roof
Send your roofer's tentative dates, the address, and a photo of the array. We visit, give you a written price, and hold the dates with your roofer.
Solar energy company
AJ Long Electric Solar
AJ Long Electric
7138 Little River Turnpike #305
Annandale, VA 22003
Serving Annandale, Fairfax County, and Northern Virginia.