Solar detach and reset (also called solar R&R, or removal and reinstall) is the job of shutting down a rooftop solar system, removing the panels and racking so a roofer can work on the deck, then reinstalling and recommissioning the system once the roof is done.
Three visits, two trades
Most people describe it as one job. The schedule sees three:
- Detach. The solar crew de-energizes the system, removes panels, racking and rooftop wiring, and stores or stages the equipment.
- Roof. The roofing crew tears off and replaces the roof, or repairs the area under the array. This visit is often a different company.
- Reset. The solar crew reinstalls racking with new flashing at the mounts, rehangs the panels, reconnects and tests the system.
Each handoff is a dependency. The roof cannot start until the detach is done, and the reset cannot start until the roof is done and dry. If the roofer slips a day, both solar visits move with it. The array sitting in the yard is also a cost: an exposed roof and a homeowner without production.
Book from the back
The usual mistake is booking the detach first, because it is the first visit, then hoping the roofer and the reset line up. Book in the other direction:
- Get the roofer's firm start and a realistic finish, including a weather day.
- Pick the reset slot after the roof finish, with a crew that can reach the address that day.
- Book the detach as close before the roof start as your crew's schedule allows.
Days the array is off = Reset date minus Detach date
Say the roofer needs two days plus one weather day. Booked loosely, with the detach on Monday and the reset whenever a crew frees up, the array can be off for nine or ten days. Booked from the back, with a Friday detach, a Monday to Wednesday roof and a Thursday reset already held, it is off for six calendar days. Those numbers are illustrative; your roofers and crews set the real ones.
Distance matters too. Detach and reset crews often travel farther than install crews, because the work follows roof replacements, not your sales territory. A reset offered at 8:00 a.m. to a crew finishing a job 70 minutes away is a promise someone breaks. CrewLink only offers times a qualified crew can reach from its previous job, and with CrewConnect a solar company can send the roof visit, or a roofer can send the solar visits, into a partner's open times with agreed pay terms. The solar and roofing subcontractor scheduling page walks through that handoff.
What to take away
- Detach and reset is three dependent visits by two trades.
- Anchor on the roofer's dates and book the reset before the detach.
- Measure the days the array is off; it is the number the homeowner feels.
Related terms
- Crew scheduling: assigning multi-person crews to multi-visit work.
- Roofing scheduling covers the roofer's side of the same job.
- Solar O&M scheduling covers detach and reset as part of service work on installed systems.
Common questions
How long does a solar detach and reset take?
It depends on system size, roof type and how long the roof work takes. The solar visits are often a day each, but the total time the array is off the roof is set mostly by the roofer's schedule and how tightly the three visits are booked.
Who should do a solar detach and reset, the roofer or a solar company?
The electrical work belongs with a qualified solar or electrical contractor under your state's licensing rules. Many roofers sub the solar visits to a solar company, and many solar companies sub the roof. Check your state licensing board for who may do what.
Why book the reset before the detach?
Because the reset is the visit most likely to slip. If it is booked first, right after the roofer's finish, the detach can be timed to it. Booking the detach first leaves the array off the roof until a crew happens to free up.