How to fit solar hooks on a slate roof

Installer contributor and renewables expert Mark Allison talks about the training on offer for electricians wanting to work on roofs while installing solar.

I will start my monthly article by declaring winter as over! Bold, I know, but having had the worst winter ever on roofs it has been immense to be out in the sunshine for two weeks running. It makes such a huge difference both in mood but also the ability to work. We have have had gales, rain, sleet, ice, snow and worse for weeks and weeks. Sometimes genuinely worried we might get hypothermia.

Back to the topic at hand, fitting solar panels on slate roofs. This is the acid test in my opinion for any solar installer. It struck fear into my team as electricians venturing onto roof tops. It is not our skillset yet MCS and such led us towards wanting to understand how to do it. So we could ensure quality. Many other installers feel the same and yet the training around entry for working on roofs is so poor as in almost non existent.

My view is we are massively letting down the work force offering such poor options and simply ticking boxes for effect. Installers are desperate for knowledge and want to do good work.

Slating and solar

So it was an absolute pleasure to share a slating video delivered by Michael Stott. Magic Mike to his friends! We feel so lucky to have found Mike in my business and learn from and with him. So sharing that to a wider audience is exactly what A121 training exists for. Bringing the world of unaccredited training into mainstream view and frankly embarrassing the accredited options we are force fed.

Mike has broken down one of the most difficult and worrying tasks in only the way he can. Through kindness and his want to improve skills. We hear all kinds of words around the skills crisis but it has never been especially complicated. We just need people like Mike and maybe myself (lol) to pass forward learnt skills. It really is that simple.

In this one we went through ripping tiles with the roof tooth, cutting copper and if you are unlucky galvanised nails. Cutting slate with the right tools, installing flashings to seal roof penetrations and using tingles to resecure hooks.

I found the demo really interesting and hopefully you do as well! You can check it out here:

Combining the right equipment with good installers is what the sector should be focused on. It’s pretty simple at that level and one of the reasons that InstallerSHOW is a must visit event! Who is coming?