Our Roof Has 10 Years Left. Should We Install Solar Now or Wait?
Our Roof Has 10 Years Left. Should We Install Solar Now or Wait?
Usually, installing solar now is the right financial decision.
But like most things in real estate, the answer depends; on what kind of roof you have, its condition, and your long-term plans for the building.
The Cost of Waiting Isn’t Just Delayed Energy Savings
Most building owners evaluate solar as a stand-alone investment, thinking- “If I wait ten years, I can install solar then.”
The problem is that those ten years aren’t free.
Every year you delay means:
- Higher electricity bills
- Missed tax incentives
- Lost depreciation opportunities
- Reduced protection against future utility cost increases
- A decade of unrealized savings
Over a ten-year period, those lost opportunities can easily exceed the future cost of temporarily removing and reinstalling solar during a reroof.
Waiting may feel like the low-risk option, but financially it is often the more expensive choice.
Start By Assessing the Roof- Not the Solar
Before discussing panels, racking systems, or incentives, the first question should be:
What is the actual condition of the roof?
We’ve seen roofs that owners believed had “10 years remaining” fail within three.
We’ve also seen well-maintained systems perform comfortably beyond their expected service life.
A professional roof assessment should consider:
- Membrane type
- Membrane condition
- Flashings and penetrations
- Drainage performance
- Existing leaks or moisture intrusion
- Insulation condition
- Structural suitability
At Rocky Mountain Solar, this is where our roofing background becomes valuable.
Unlike most solar contractors, our team includes Registered Roofing Consultant expertise and decades of commercial roofing experience through our sister company, Lynnwood Roofing. That means we evaluate the entire building system, not just the space available for panels.
Scenario 1: Roof Has Less Than 5 Years Remaining
If your roof is truly approaching end of life, we generally recommend coordinating the reroof and solar project together.
Why?
Because it eliminates future disruption and allows both systems to be designed as a single integrated solution.
Benefits include:
- One mobilization
- One contractor coordination effort
- Reduced long-term maintenance conflicts
- Optimized rooftop layout
- Improved warranty management
For owners already budgeting for a major capital project, combining roofing and solar often creates the strongest long-term outcome.
Scenario 2: Roof Has 8–15 Years Remaining
This is where most commercial buildings fall, and it’s where many owners get stuck. The assumption is:
“If I install solar now, I’ll have to remove it when the roof gets replaced.”
While technically true, that doesn’t automatically make waiting the right decision.
Modern commercial solar systems are designed with future serviceability in mind.
The more important question becomes:
Will the value created by solar over the next decade exceed the future cost of temporary removal and reinstallation?
In most Alberta commercial applications, the answer is yes.
Ten years of electrical savings, demand reduction, tax incentives, and depreciation benefits can generate substantial value long before the roof reaches end-of-life.
The Tax Incentive Window Matters
Another factor many owners overlook is timing.
Today, qualifying commercial solar projects can benefit from the federal Clean Technology Investment Tax Credit as well as accelerated depreciation opportunities available to eligible businesses. Commercial solar projects in Canada continue to be promoted through federal clean-energy policies and investment incentives. [stellarupgrades.ca], [commercial…canada.com], [canada.ca]
The key point is simple:
Incentives available today are known. Incentives available ten years from now are not.
Waiting may mean missing opportunities that materially improve project economics.
Making A Call
A roof with ten years remaining is often an excellent solar candidate.
Waiting can seem prudent, but it frequently means walking away from a decade of savings, tax incentives, and protection against rising electricity costs.
The right decision starts with a detailed assessment of both the roof and the financial opportunity—not assumptions about either one.
At Rocky Mountain Solar, our roofing and solar teams evaluate both together, helping owners understand not just whether solar can be installed today, but whether it should be.
Because sometimes the biggest risk isn’t installing solar too early. It’s waiting too long.
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