[RE-wrenches] Popping Sounds From Roof

Wed Mar 5 10:05:23 PST 2025

I also received this type of complaint years ago after installing lag bolts into wood rafters during very hot weather for a few days.  I assume if you hit rafters you are more likely to hear it than missing rafters and going through decking only.

David Buckner
President
Solar Energy Systems
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41 Box Street 2nd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11222
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From: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org> On Behalf Of Tyrone Houck via RE-wrenches
Sent: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 12:05 PM
To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Cc: Tyrone Houck <tyronehouck at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Popping Sounds From Roof

CAUTION: External Email.

Screw down metal roofs are notorious for expansion/contraction issues...especially over long horizontal spans. It's possible that the array is actually fixing that section in place better than the rest of the roof(while simultaneously keeping that part of the roof cooler) . I would investigate the roof area adjacent to the array as it's likely to be heating up much faster than the area shaded by the array. Could be the sound of screws popping..

Best of luck!
Tyrone Houck
Oregon Solarworks LLC
CCB #204937 LRT #076
541-787-1366
tyrone at oregonsolarworks.com<mailto:tyrone at oregonsolarworks.com>

On Wed, Mar 5, 2025, 8:48 AM Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org<mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>> wrote:
They report that it is definitely coming from the roof and from opposite ends of the array. It's pretty random, but only earlier in the day and later in the day, which suggests the array and roof are heating and cooling. I don't believe it is electrical.

But it is interesting that you mention siding. Just before we installed solar panels, they had their house re-sided with hardy board siding. I suggested that maybe it was coming from the siding on the gable ends, but of course, they insisted that it only started when the solar panels were installed. I did find a piece of siding that was pressed up tight against a drip edge, and I found that to be a possible source. Without being there on the roof as it happens, it's hard to diagnose. They are reporting 1-2 dozen pops a day that they can hear clearly. I don't doubt that, but I question whether it is directly related to the solar panel installation.

For more context, they also reported something that sounded like banging in high winds, like a solar panel was loose. All of the panels were later found to be completely secure. I found a piece of aluminum soffit cover that was loose and could have been flopping around, but again, it's hard to tell when you are not there.

They are wrapping themselves all around the axle, probably thinking that we did something wrong. They even called S-5 behind our backs to see if the manufacturer could throw us under the bus. That turned out to be a fun discussion because S-5 suggested the them that adding more seam clamps might help. Of course, SolarFoot is not a seam clamp at all, which further confused the owner.

Jason Szumlanski
Principal Solar Designer | Florida Solar Design Group
NABCEP Certified Solar Professional (PVIP)
Florida State Certified Solar Contractor CVC56956
Florida Certified Electrical Contractor EC13013208

On Wed, Mar 5, 2025 at 8:51 AM Dave Tedeyan via RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org<mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>> wrote:
Jason,
You mentioning popping sounds reminds me of two separate systems that I was called in to service recently where the homeowner was reporting popping sounds. These were coming from the ground, not the roof, so it may not apply. Both systems were roughly 10 years old, and the original installer used PVC conduit off the roof. Water had been getting into the conduit and running down to the combiner (Enphase system). Things were quite corroded in the combiner panels and the sounds were coming from a failing breaker. It sounds like your system is newer, but maybe there is a bad breaker? In one case the customer was certain the noise was coming from the meter, but upon inspection I am nearly certain it was the combiner instead. These were more of an "electronic" popping noise though. If your popping noise is more structural have the customer listen out to see if it happens right when the sun comes out from a cloud, or goes behind a cloud. With vinyl siding or metal roofs, I'll sometimes hear the expansion and contraction but it has to be a very quick change in temperature and I only hear it on those quick transitions from sun to clouds.

Good luck tracking it down!
Cheers,
Dave

On Wed, Mar 5, 2025 at 8:12 AM Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org<mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>> wrote:
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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