[RE-wrenches] Popping Sounds From Roof
Christopher Warfel
cwarfel at entech-engineering.com
Wed Mar 5 13:11:04 PST 2025
I have heard this too, no solar involved. Chris
On 3/5/2025 12:05 PM, Tyrone Houck via RE-wrenches wrote:
>
> 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
>
>
> On Wed, Mar 5, 2025, 8:48 AM Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches
> <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> 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> 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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--
Christopher Warfel, PE
ENTECH Engineering, Inc.
PO Box 871, Block Island, RI 02807
(401) 447-5773
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