Gary Zhou 
Tesla has released new details that outline its policy for the Removal and Reinstallation of its solar panels on its website.
“Removal & Reinstallation (R&R) is the process of temporarily removing solar panels or the entire system from your home and reinstalling them after reroofing, remodeling, or relocation,” Tesla said on its website. Whether a Tesla Solar owner is having their roof reshingled, their entire home remodeled, or is relocating to a new home in another area, the company has specific processes for each of these scenarios.
There are three types of R&R: Roof Work (No Remodel), Home Remodel, and Relocation.
Tesla describes each:
Roof Work (No Remodel): This is the most common type of R&R, for which either part or all of your solar system must be removed before you can repair or reroof your home. With this R&R, your roof line remains the same, and we will reinstall your system where it was originally installed.
Home Remodel: For this type of R&R, we will remove your solar system before you remodel your home and reinstall it once you’re done. When remodeling your home, especially if there are additions or changes to your roof line, there are additional steps and time constraints to consider. Reinstallation may require permits and design changes to your system.
Relocation: For this type of R&R, you are moving and request that we remove your solar system from your current home to reinstall it at your new home.
To get the process going, the owner starts by initiating an R&R Request, Tesla says. Solar owners will submit this request and usually receive a response from Tesla within two days. Then, Tesla sends a Home Improvement Agreement that will then allow the owner to schedule an R&R date. Tesla will then remove the solar panels, and once the roof is replaced, the home is remodeled, or the owner moves into the new house, Tesla will reinstall the panels.
Tesla says there are three types of Home Improvement Agreements: Standard R&R, Custom R&R, and Additional Equipment.
Standard R&R: You have requested that we temporarily remove part or all of your solar energy system so that you can complete typical roof work. Your roof lines are not changing. Please see your energy contract for pricing. Contracts citing “competitive pricing” will be calculated considering the scope of work.
Custom R&R: You have requested that we temporarily remove part or all of your solar energy system so that you can complete work such as changing roof lines, remodeling your home, or moving and relocating the system to your new home. Our Transfer team will review the scope of work to determine if a layout revision is required before the HIA is sent to you to review and sign.
Additional Equipment: You have requested the installation of equipment that was not part of the original solar contract, including pest abatement, snow mitigation clips, rapid shutdown equipment, cellular gateway, and more. Note: This does not apply for requests to increase your system size or production output.
Tesla also outlines that there are specific roof types that vary depending on the state the solar owner lives in. “If you are considering changing your roof type, the new roof type must be eligible for solar panel installation. We currently install on the following roof types per state,” Tesla said.
East Coast states include Connecticut, Washington D.C., Delaware, Florida, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Vermont.
Additionally, there are requirements for roof pitches. Tesla says, “Roof pitch affects solar energy production as related to the solar panels’ orientation to the sun. Optimal solar energy production occurs when sunlight hits the solar panels at a right angle.”
Tesla is coming off of its strongest quarter for Solar in the last two-and-a-half years. The company wrote in its Q1 2021 Shareholder Deck that Solar deployments reached 92 MW in Q1. Solar Roof deployments grew nine times compared to Q1 2020.
