Solar panels for asphalt & composite shingle roofs

Helios installs on every roof type, and shingle is where decades of mounting engineering have been refined into a fast, repeatable, watertight process — when it is executed properly. Founder Taylor Crouse is a mechanical engineer who treats every roof penetration as a structural and waterproofing detail, not an afterthought. We locate and fasten into the actual rafters (not just the sheathing), flash every penetration to manufacturer spec, and back the work with a workmanship warranty alongside the panel and inverter manufacturer warranties. With 500+ installs across every roof type, our crews know shingle cold.

Helios installs residential solar on every roof type across Southern California. Want to see the numbers for your home? Our savings tool models payback before you commit to anything.

On shingle we use lag bolts driven directly into the roof rafters and sealed with waterproof flashing — either flashed feet or flashing-integrated mounts that tuck under the course of shingles above the attachment and shed water like a shingle does. We map the rafter layout, pre-drill pilot holes to avoid splitting the wood, set each lag to spec, and seal with a flashing and sealant system rated for the mount. Rails then attach to the flashed feet and the panels clamp to the rails. Because the hardware is standardized and the roof is easy to walk, this is the fastest install method and the lowest labor of any common roof.

Asphalt shingle is the lowest-cost roof to install solar on — minimal labor, standard parts, and no tile to remove or relay. Most SoCal residential systems land in the roughly $2.40–$3.25 per watt range (before incentives and depending on system size, equipment, and complexity), and shingle roofs sit at the efficient end of that band. Note: the 30% federal solar tax credit expired on December 31, 2025, so price your project on its own merits rather than counting on that credit.

The main thing to check is the age and condition of your shingles. Panels typically outlive a single layer of asphalt shingle, so if your roof is near the end of its life it is usually smarter to re-roof before — or at the same time as — going solar, rather than paying to remove and reinstall panels later. Ask any installer how they fasten (into rafters, not just sheathing) and how they flash each penetration; those two details are where leaks come from. We inspect roof condition and remaining life as part of every design.