[RE-wrenches] Popping Sounds From Roof

[Jason Szumlanski]

I had a person contact me years ago who said her solar installer put a
system up that caused popping noises everyday on her roof. It was a shingle
roof, older home, and ultimately we chalked it up to expansion and
contraction. Everything was secure and there were no indications of
structural, cosmetic, or waterproof integrity being jeopardized.

That was my only experience with this issue until we did a recent
installation on a 5V exposed fastener metal roof using S-5 SolarFoot mounts
attached through the metal into the plywood decking only. This new client
is reporting numerous loud popping sounds every day. Based on the time of
day and weather, it must have something to do with expansion and
contraction, but we cannot pinpoint the problem. Of course, the day we go
to try to duplicate the issue, there were no sounds at all that we could
detect up on the roof after waiting hours in observation.

We did have one row of 13 panels mounted in portrait that was on the longer
side, so we decided to split the rail by putting a gap in the middle. That,
apparently, has not solved the issue.

We have checked the torque on every single fastener in the system. This
installation is no different than many many others we have done using the
same materials on the same roof type.

Has anybody experienced similar issues, and how did you go about addressing
them?

Jason Szumlanski
Florida Solar Design Group
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