Mounting on clay tile roof

[lemonsocal]

I installed a new clay tile roof 6 months ago. My roofer has given us a warranty for 20 years.

What's the best way to mount / install solar panels on clay tile? One installer suggests UniRac tile hooks. Another wanted to replace areas with composite shingle (picture frame). Others on this forum recommend Quick Mount PV.

Our roofer is a good guy and wants to be around for the solar mount install process so he can honor his warranty.

[ButchDeal]

I installed a new clay tile roof 6 months ago. My roofer has given us a warranty for 20 years.

What's the best way to mount / install solar panels on clay tile? One installer suggests UniRac tile hooks. Another wanted to replace areas with composite shingle (picture frame). Others on this forum recommend Quick Mount PV.

Our roofer is a good guy and wants to be around for the solar mount install process so he can honor his warranty.

a comp out is a lazy way out and a very poor choice, sending water under other tiles.

hooks or double flashing both work well when installed correctly.
are they really clay tiles, or modern cement tiles?

[lemonsocal]

The roof is Spanish style s-shaped clay tile--common here in Southern California.

Will definitely stay away from the composite shingle method, but go with tile hooks if it's equivalent to the quick mount PV system.

Thanks

[annie.chenyan]

I had clay roof too, working on solar panel to generate 4kW energy. Is quick mount PV system is the best option?

[J.P.M.]

I installed a new clay tile roof 6 months ago. My roofer has given us a warranty for 20 years.

What's the best way to mount / install solar panels on clay tile? One installer suggests UniRac tile hooks. Another wanted to replace areas with composite shingle (picture frame). Others on this forum recommend Quick Mount PV.

Our roofer is a good guy and wants to be around for the solar mount install process so he can honor his warranty.

Just one opinion, and not the least expensive: Use 8" standoffs and double flash them. You'll keep the array cooler and running more efficiently, and if you need to, and, if you're skinny, you'll be able to get under the array a bit if you're careful. I did as I write and I can get under my entire array ( On a hot day, it fells like being in a toaster tilted at 18.75 degrees or so, but that's another story.

Double flashing has been around for many years and has stood the test of time.

You'll have something like 2X as many new holes in your roof as panels and most of them will be unobservable and inaccessible. Chasing a leak in a roof is a PITA under the best of circumstances, worse with an array on top of it.

A roof is about the last place on a home to cheap out.

NOMB, but the last thing you want to do is replace the tile with comp roofing under the array. That's a sucker play. That only saves an installer time and screws up your roof. You will gain nothing. DON'T DO IT. YOU'LL BE SORRY SOONER OR LATER, PROBABLY SOONER. Either way, sooner or later, you'll be setting the stage for problems. It's the fools way with no benefit for the owner and a lot of drawbacks.

[ImInPhxAZ]

Consider the quick mount tile replacement if the dimensions match your tile. In my opinion they're stronger and more stable than alot of hook style mounts.

Also, if you go that route, you get extra tiles left over. And since your roof is clay there is a good chance several will be broke during install.

It's a little more money. I think it was about $34 per base/tile mount plus L feet for IronRidge rails. Maybe $40 a mount total... To me it was worth it to use for concrete s tile roof.