It may take a year or two of heavy rain, but eventually an improperly installed rooftop solar mounting system will make itself known. Inevitably, the ceiling below the array will dampen and begin to leak, alerting the owner with conspicuous – and infuriating – drops of water.

The costs of such a failure for the liable solar installer are more than financial. The company’s entire reputation is at risk – especially in the age of social media. Moreover, the solar industry in general is bruised by every unsuccessful install.

But there are monetary costs to bear, and they were outlined recently in a white paper co-authored by Cinnamon Solar, Solar Marketing Group, HatiCon Solar, Quick Mount PV and Orion Solar Racking.

The white paper details information about how to ensure long-lasting and safe solar roof mounts, a paramount topic as the solar industry grows. The information is based on the companies’ collective experience and the detailed study of 20 decade-old rooftop installations.

The report details the expenses associated with an improperly installed rooftop solar mounting system. You don’t want to be on the receiving end of these numbers:

Roof Leaks: $10,000

It is impossible to repair the roof without removing at least one panel. Often, the exact location of a leak can’t be determined so a whole section of an array must be removed. Once the leak is found, the area must be remediated – you’ll need a roofing contractor. The interior of the home will probably need new drywall, too. And when you reinstall the system – if your client still wants it – you’ll need new wiring and other solar components, as well. This estimation is based on a single leak under a 5-kW system.

System Outage: $1,000

If your client has a pinched cable – wiring stuck between a mount and the panel – and it causes a system outage, you’re going to feel like you have a pinched nerve. While the system is down, the homeowner loses potential power production. That won’t look good on her web-based monitoring site. Diagnosis and repair could take eight man-hours. Often, two-person crews are sent to the site because panels may need to be removed. Better wire management could prevent an unnecessary expense for time, labor and materials.

Fire: A few thousand dollars to total loss

Don’t be among the first solar installers to add to the U.S. Fire Administration’s statistics on residential blazes. Only several such incidents have been recorded among the 400,000 residential solar systems currently operating. The solar industry continues to develop equipment and installation procedures that aim to prevent fires caused by solar arrays.

To read more about these costs and learn how to ensure long-lasting and safe solar roof mounts, download the white paper authored by Cinnamon Solar, Solar Marketing Group, HatiCon Solar, Quick Mount PV and Orion Solar Racking here.