Metal Roofing and Solar Panels
Yes, installing solar panels on a metal roof is absolutely possible. If a contractor tells you it can't be done, that usually reflects a gap in their experience rather than any real limitation of the roof. Homeowners who want to add solar should simply look for a qualified roofer with the right skills and equipment to do the job correctly — and protect the roof in the process.
At Redeem Roofing & Construction, our crews work with standing seam and other metal roofing systems every day, so pairing them with solar is familiar territory rather than a guessing game.
How Solar Panels Are Mounted on Metal Roofs
The way panels attach to a roof depends heavily on what the roof is made of. Traditional asphalt shingle roofs require installers to drill directly through the roofing material. Every one of those penetration points is a place where water can eventually find its way in and cause a leak if it isn't flashed and sealed perfectly.
Metal roofing — particularly standing seam — allows for a better approach: zero-penetration clamping. The mounting hardware clamps onto the raised seams of the panels instead of being screwed through the roof surface. That means:
- No new holes in the roof, so there are no fresh leak points to worry about.
- The roof's structural integrity stays intact, along with the manufacturer warranty in most cases.
- Metal easily carries the extra weight of a solar array thanks to its inherent strength, which lowers the overall risk of failure.
It's a cleaner, lower-risk installation than what's possible on most shingle roofs — one of the quiet advantages of going with metal in the first place.
Comparing Long-Term Value: Metal vs. Asphalt
Solar panel systems are typically built to last around 30 years. That number matters a lot when you compare it to the roof underneath them.
An asphalt shingle roof generally lasts 15 to 20 years. That creates an expensive timing problem: the roof often needs to be replaced before the solar panels reach the end of their life. When that happens, the panels have to be removed, the shingles replaced, and the whole array reinstalled — a costly, disruptive project that's easy to overlook when you're first budgeting for solar.
Metal roofing changes the math entirely. A quality metal roof can last 50 to 75 years or more — two to three times longer than other common materials. In practice, that means the roof will usually outlast the solar system mounted on it, so you avoid the expensive mid-life "tear off and reinstall" step. Over the lifetime of the panels, that's a meaningful long-term savings and a big part of why metal-plus-solar is such a sensible pairing.
A metal roof typically outlasts the solar panels installed on it — so you avoid removing and reinstalling the array partway through its life.
The Bottom Line
Installing solar on a metal roof isn't just possible — in many ways it's the ideal setup. Zero-penetration mounting protects the roof, metal's strength handles the load, and the roof's long lifespan means you won't be paying to take the panels off and put them back on a decade from now. The key is working with a roofer who understands metal systems and can mount the array the right way.
Thinking about solar, a new metal roof, or both for your home in Burlington, Greensboro, Winston-Salem or anywhere in the Triad? Get a free, no-obligation estimate from our team, or learn more about our metal roofing options. We're happy to walk your roof and talk through what makes the most sense for your home. Call us anytime at (336) 350-1450.