Asphalt shingle roofs are the most common roofing style in America. They also are often the simplest roof style for installing solar—no tiles to lift, grind, accidently break or replace—but SolarRoofHook believes there are still opportunities to save time and money on these simple solar installations.
Driving into wood
One way to reduce install time on the roof is to reduce the time it takes to drive screws into rafters. This can be accomplished by using bolts or screws with specific features, such as type 17 point and course thread, which will quicken this step of the installation.
The type 17 point on bolts or screws clears out debris, reduces stress while driving and limits the chances of wood splitting. If the installer does not pre-drill the hole deep enough, the type 17 point will finish the job.
Screws or bolts with a coarse thread, especially those with a steeper angle, reduce the torque needed to drive through the wood and help reduce splitting.
These improvements might not seem like much, but they can save installers valuable time. Instead of clearing debris out of a hole to drive a screw or painstakingly force down a bolt, the type 17 point and coarse thread features allow the installer to quickly drive the screw or bolt and move on to the next array. Anyone who’s installed on a 95° F roof will tell you that any way to get the job done faster without sacrificing quality is worth it. Using products with these features can reduce time spent on a roof.
Flashing
Many installers believe that using traditional aluminum flashing is the only way to ensure a leak-proof solar installation. However, with the push for innovative solutions in the solar industry, new and more effective “flashing-free” solutions are now on the market.
While flashing-free may sound scary, the product simply provides a flashing method that does not resemble the bulky aluminum flashing installers are used to. A flashing-free sealing method saves installers time and money by eliminating the need to lift and cut shingles. They also eliminate the time installers spending trimming the aluminum to correctly fit under the shingles. By leaving the original asphalt shingle roofing in place, flashing-free mounting systems allow the installer to avoid the risk of voiding the original roofing warranty.
Flashing-free systems also reduce the number of components needed, allowing for a speedier installation process and a more affordable mounting system through lowered material costs.
The QuickBOLT
SolarRoofHook’s QuickBOLT is one solution for mounting solar onto asphalt shingle roofs that provides solar installers with innovative options to save time and money. The QuickBOLT can be installed in under one minute, and has been found to reduce install time by 75% and costs by 50%.
By utilizing innovative features such as the type 17 point, coarse thread and flashing-free sealing methods, solar installers will not only save time and money on installation jobs but will make solar more affordable for everyone.
Installation tip was provied by Samantha Dalton, marketing director of SolarRoofHook
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