Fitting solar panel brackets to a concrete tile roof

I installed a set of used Solar panels on a concrete tile roof in the North of England.
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I guess that this is the same for clay pantiles or other types of concrete roof slates or tiles. The process will be the same.

[@RayonWhittaker]

This is now go to video for clients who have Clay tile or Concrete tile roof. Thanks for showing

[@liammullan2197]

Really good no-nonsense demo, many thanks!

[@dreamkiss]

Excellent video just what I needed to watch

[@larryross1819]

I am an architect and I've done some building and I've owned rental property. If you penetrate the roof it is almost 100% guaranteed that you will have roof leaks in the future. The membrane under the tile does the real work, if you drill lots of holes in that membrane it will leak, maybe not soon, but it will leak. If you have any alternative, say on a patio cover, take it. If you do what is shown in this video then set the brackets in mastic/sealer before you screw them down.

[@bootsowen]

Your qualifications abound so what you’re saying should surely be treated with respect. Can you explain why roofs don’t leak when every batten is nailed at every intersection with every rafter? There is a penetration at every point, unsealed.

[@ajpepe72]

The roofing sarking/felt is a second line of defence, installed correctly the roof should be waterproof without it. It’s certainly not the primary defence. As mentioned, screwing the brackets to the timber is no different to nailing the battens to the timbers.

[@alanclark2584]

some older roofs don't even have underfelt@@ajpepe72

[@tebbo8324]

Absolutely correct. I had my rooflines replaced with uPVC and when new drip felt lengths were fitted, the sarking felt was accidentally punctured unbeknownst to me until heavy rain leaked inside the bedroom wall! I ended up crawling in the tight loft space to patch it up!!

[@alexk6745]

To make simpler removing tiles I take few cutted tree branches 30cm and 4-7cm diameter. I instert the branch next right and one up to the tiles I' plan to remove so that they're not in the way. That helps a lot a makes it simple.

[@bootsowen]

An old roofer told me to take up two claw hammers, one to lever and the other to shove the handle in, like your branches. On this roof all of the tiles would be in a line so we did it from the top.

[@alexk6745]

@@bootsowen I also use offcuts 19x60mm they good to. You can insert either way 19mm or 60. Sometime tiles close to a cornering line and inserting 60mm is too much, but 19 is ok.

[@buildorder06]

Thank you,a very interesting video; well paced narrative.

[@bootsowen]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@TheInfoworks]

Owen, This is the most difficult part and intrusive to the fabric of the building. Thanks for the reference. Single storey buildings are much easier for fitting and maintenance. I have to clean a build up off lichen on my barn panels, difficult to get to with a steeper roof and old terracotta pan tiles that are impossible to walk on, cheers

[@bootsowen]

It sounds like you need some kind of sky hooks. Or a cherry picker. Mine have a layer of dust and sycamore flowers on them. I need a long reach wash brush. I have a few aluminium aerial poles that I reckon I can join together. I need about 5m reach.

[@TheInfoworks]

​@@bootsowen or a younger fitter person later in the year, cheers

[@StartledPancake]

Plenty of mounting systems are adjustable and dont require you to hack great lumps out of the tiles and mount on the spars so you dont need to drill holes int the roof, such as the Esdec system. Far better for your roof and far faster to fit. Ill bet they arent even more expensive than the kit you used here. Also use a trowel (or two) to lift the tiles, which saves breakages.

[@bootsowen]

Use what you have and don’t worry about buying new stuff. Make do. Great lumps are just little cuts. The roof is still watertight and my mate still has spare tiles if he ever takes the mounts away. Don’t stress. Live life doing rather than working to pay for “perfect “ solutions. How many systems have you installed at zero dollars down?

[@StartledPancake]

My comment was really for people who watch this and think this is how you should mount solar panels on the roof, which it really isn't. You could have reused the rails and bought some (or swapped) the hooks for some that fitted and not have to cut the tiles. No need to be so defensive, we all make mistakes. It's a bit shit to encourage others to make those same mistakes though. FYI, I've just bought a full fitting kit for 6 panels for 275 euros. That's more sustainable than damaging a roof that should last a lifetime.

[@bootsowen]

Where's the mistake?

[@paulruffy8389]

Thanks you

[@geoffcarlton4047]

Tiles should be nailed/screwed every other row which means you can slide a tile up to get to the nail/screw for the tile below, means you don't have to take the full column of tiles out.

[@bootsowen]

The attachment of roof coverings is specified dependant on the location and its exposure to wind. I have seen them nailed every third tile round my way, and on the exposed Atlantic coast of Ireland I have seen every tile double nailed. Horses for courses.

[@britantyowicaksono8409]

oh my God...that's hard, but i need this, i'm surprised, that's my roof type right there.

[@andygeorgiou2846]

Cheers.

[@Whereswally606]

Wow that video went up quick, got the other 6 panels on the next day with my mate Tim. All wired in that night into my eversol inverter with the garage string. Has nearly doubled my output. Got 6x 265w panels too if you fancy making a video about pergola building and doing a followup. Also caught my not so sexy legs there, nice. Also thx for the epic amount of harf work. Looking forward to chilling out with some pizza now.

[@abdelkaderelbachir3817]

Great now you should start a business installing solar panels

[@bootsowen]

Sounds like work!

[@jonathan112112]

thanks for posting! you would think they would offer different length footing brackets so that you don't have to cut into the tile?

[@bootsowen]

Maybe they do, but my friend bought a second hand set of bits, so we were working with what we had.

[@Dragon-Slay3r]

Them 3 satellite brackets are all horizontal with one of the bent slightly with a sun on top of it. Aka orange. And the double atom from the left eye is light blue

[@michaelstainsbury5766]

Great video, very informative. How close to the edge of the roof can a panel be installed?

[@bootsowen]

You could have them wherever you want but some locations and codes will specify a setback.

[@pencilme1n]

Isn't a bracket with a longer tail available, to avoid the need to cut the tiles?

[@bootsowen]

Maybe, but my friend had bought a used set of parts, so this is what we had. I did an installation with a different friend last week. He had bought new rails, so much easier! As for lengths, IDK

[@shuhel02]

So how much output are you getting from those 54 cell panels? Your roof looks like it could take a 72 cell panel. Excellent video, really enjoyed it. Thanks!

[@kidcompany]

When your creating holes in the roof underlayment with the screws, do you not need roof cement (like Henry wet patch) to go over that area to prevent future water leak? Seems like it would be a cheap preventative.

[@bootsowen]

you could, but the tiles and battens are nailed on through the membrane too, so what's the point? The nails and screws are always made to the spars(rafters) so at that point the membrane is high and should then sag between the spars. if you have a roof that has boarding under the membrane (underlayment) then maybe your point is valid, but how are the tiles and battens held on, do they use some waterproofer at every nail?

[@dcocz3908]

The strange bit is the brackets look like if they extended them out by another 1" you wouldnt have to do any cutting. Perhaps the back ridges?

[@ITSREALLYNOTYOURFAULT]

I'm guessing the roof is more of a DIY job and the spacing/overlap of the tiles (where the wooden battens are nail on to the rafters) is not "industry" standard (i've just been up on my roof that has the same tiles and the brackets i bought just about fit). Sometimes on a short extension roof the spacing is a compromise.

[@savagecub]

Are frosted lucky charms really magically delicious ?

[@josepeixoto3384]

why were the brackets too short, and you had to cut on the tiles? what type of bolts did you use? i have the same type of roof too

[@bootsowen]

The lap of the tile depends on the roof, the length of the bracket depends on the bracket. the bolts came with the brackets.

[@tamho8383]

Your jobs did very good for Solar panels, my house have been leaking 7 yrs, we never known it was leaking from roof tiles, now we found it and requested the Solar company to fix , they came twice but still same big gaps, what should I do for this?

[@bootsowen]

Fix it properly?

[@pascalepei7708]

Can you please advise when it rains, will it get into the roof and cause a leak? My plumber is very concerned if I install solar panels, appreciate your advice.

[@bootsowen]

The job of a roof is to keep out water. Why would it leak

[@leedaq7767]

i live in australia and traides here mostly are very low skilled and rough people, I won't trust them this sort of work on my tile. Seen too many roofs has been leaked

[@bootsowen]

I heard it never rains in Australia

[@45graham45]

Making holes in the membrane can't be good long term. At some point you'll have a leak.

[@bootsowen]

How do you think the battens that are on top of the membrane are held on?

[@45graham45]

@@bootsowen ha. Good point.

[@backwoodsbungalow9674]

I am baffled as to why the brackets are not made to fit without cutting a notch in the tile. Also, why can't the brackets be positioned so that you bolt the panel to the brackets?

[@bootsowen]

I think that’s just the way it is. Maybe you should patent your idea.

[@ITSREALLYNOTYOURFAULT]

I'm guessing the cutting of the tiles is because the spacing is not "industry" standard, probably due to a compromise on a short roof atop of an extension. A roof built with less of an overlap would be fine.

[@StartledPancake]

They dont need to be cut, this is a hack job using a mounting kit that wasnt designed for these sorts of panels.

[@ajpepe72]

Any bracket will lift the upper tile off the one below it by the thickness of the bracket. This is why the back of the tile needs grinding back to allow the tile to sit flush again against the tile below. Having said that I’ve seen some shocking ‘MCS’ certified installs where they haven’t bothered and that massive gap is the an open invite to driving rain.

[@matthewwarren8105]

Pitch on roof is to low for roof tiles.

[@bootsowen]

Does it matter?

[@padaddy]

​@@bootsowen Yes driving rain *will* ingress if you install tiles below their minimum pitch. That roof looks like 5 to 7 degrees which technically makes it a flat roof (could partially be camera angle) . While you can get special tiles that go down to 10 or 12.5 degrees but those are all smooth finished which the ones in the video are not so they likely have a minimum pitch of 15 or 22.5 degrees. Cowboy builders 🤠

[@bootsowen]

Yes, indeed, I understand. But this roof is built, It doesn't/ hasn't leaked, I didn't build it, It's not mine and I'm not going to change it. So does it really matter?

[@klaeLIFE]

@@bootsowen Yes it does. I have an 11 degree pitch with panels and now leaks galore. Driving rain basically goes up the roof. the felt is soaking. Probably going to have to have the panels removed to fix my roof.

[@bootsowen]

Maybe you live in an area with a different exposure class. In the west of Ireland the exposure class is very high and driving rain is an issue. In the middle of England is not. So while you have a poorly built roof that is unsuitable for the location and exposure, this roof has proven itself adequate over time. Good luck with your replacement.