Installing Solar Panels on a Wood Shake Roof in Texas: What You Need to Know

Unlike asphalt or metal, wood shake shingles are highly uneven, brittle, and prone to rotting over time. Driving a lag bolt and flashing through a cedar shake roof makes it incredibly difficult to guarantee a watertight seal. Furthermore, because wood shake roofs are a known fire hazard in dry Texas climates, adding high-voltage electrical equipment on top of them often violates modern municipal fire codes.

If a homeowner with a wood shake roof is determined to go solar, SunBeam Innovations often utilizes a "comp-out" method. This involves removing the wood shake shingles entirely in the exact square footage where the solar array will sit. We then lay down fire-rated underlayment and standard asphalt shingles in that specific area to create a safe, waterproof mounting surface for the solar panels. The rest of the roof retains its wood shake aesthetic.

Before installing solar on a wood shake roof, our engineering team conducts a rigorous structural assessment. If the cedar is aging or showing signs of rot, the absolute best financial move is often to replace the roof entirely with fire-rated asphalt or metal prior to the solar installation. In many cases, the roof replacement can be rolled into your overall solar financing package.