Roof + solar
Solar panels on a metal roof.
Metal is the best roof you can put solar on — and on standing seam it goes on without drilling a single hole. The catch is that every metal profile mounts differently, and the wrong clamp on the wrong seam is a problem you find out about years later. Here is how each one works.
Every profile mounts differently.
The first question on any metal roof is which kind of metal roof it is.
Standing seam
The ideal case. Seam clamps mean zero roof penetrations, no sealant depending on for waterproofing, and the roof's own warranty usually stays intact. Clamp hardware is matched to your exact seam profile.
Corrugated / exposed fastener
Common on Florida workshops, barns and older homes. Mounts fasten through the panel crown into structure below, with butyl-sealed hardware at every attachment. Sealing detail is what separates a twenty-year job from a leak.
Metal shingle and tile profile
Stamped metal that mimics shingle or barrel tile. Attachment is profile-specific and often needs manufacturer-approved brackets. This is where a generic mounting kit causes trouble.
Structural considerations
Metal roofs sit over purlins or decking, and the racking has to land in real structure engineered to Florida Building Code wind loads for your county and roof height. That engineering is part of the permit package.
Why us for metal.
Most solar companies sub out anything involving the roof. We do not.
- Roofing and solar both in-house — one crew owns the roof detail
- Licensed and insured Florida electrical contractor, EC13012465
- Seam profile identified and clamp hardware matched before design
- Roof manufacturer warranty requirements checked up front
- Engineered to Florida Building Code wind loads for your county
- Metal reroof and solar can be sequenced as a single project
Roof + solar assessment
Tell us about the roof.
A few questions about the roof profile, its age, and your power bill — then we schedule the assessment.
Question 1 of 6
Is this a home or a business?
So we send the right crew.
Questions we get.
Can you put solar panels on a metal roof?
Yes, and metal is arguably the best roof surface for solar there is. A standing seam metal roof frequently outlasts the solar array on it, which removes the biggest long-term problem in residential solar: needing to remove and reinstall a perfectly good array because the roof underneath wore out first.
Does mounting solar require drilling holes in a metal roof?
On a standing seam roof, no. Non-penetrating clamps grip the raised seam itself and the racking bolts to the clamps — no holes at all. On corrugated, exposed-fastener or metal shingle roofs, mounting does require fasteners, placed into structure and sealed with proper gaskets and flashing.
How does standing seam clamping work?
The clamp is a machined block that tightens onto the vertical seam with setscrews, distributing load across the seam without piercing the panel. Clamp choice is specific to your seam profile — snap-lock, mechanically seamed, and trapezoidal profiles all take different hardware. Using a near-enough clamp is how installers create long-term problems.
Will solar void my metal roof warranty?
It can, which is why this gets checked before design rather than discovered afterward. Many metal roof manufacturers permit non-penetrating clamp attachment while treating unapproved penetrations as a warranty problem. We look at the specific manufacturer's requirements up front.
Does a metal roof make solar panels perform better?
Slightly, and for a specific reason: metal roofs run cooler than dark shingle, and solar modules lose efficiency as temperature rises. The gap between panel and metal also allows airflow. The effect is real but modest — do not expect a transformative production difference.
Is solar on a metal roof more expensive?
The attachment hardware for standing seam typically costs more than shingle mounts, but the labor is often cleaner and faster with no flashing work. What genuinely changes the number is the roof profile, pitch, and how much unobstructed run you have.
What about corrugated or exposed-fastener metal roofs?
These are common on Florida barns, workshops and older homes, and they mount differently from standing seam. Attachment goes through the panel into purlins or rafters, with butyl-sealed hardware at every point. It works well when it is done right, but it is penetration work and the sealing detail is everything.
Should I install the metal roof or the solar first?
The roof, always, if it is being replaced anyway. We do roofing and solar in-house, so a metal roof and array can be sequenced as one project — which also means the roofer knows where the array is going and can plan the seam layout around it.