Racking and roof mounting

Racking is the least glamorous part of a solar system and the part most likely to cause a roof leak if it's done badly. The brand matters less than how each roof attachment is flashed and sealed.

Questions to ask

What attachment and flashing will you use for my roof type (shingle, tile, metal, flat)?
Who warranties roof penetrations against leaks, for how long, and does it cover interior damage?
Will the work void my roofing warranty? Can you coordinate with my roofer?
On standing-seam metal roofs, can you use clamps that don't penetrate the roof?
How are wires and conduit routed and secured?

Racking product warranties (often 20–25 years) cover the hardware, not leaks. Leak coverage comes from the installer's roof-penetration or workmanship warranty, which is only as good as the installer's ability to stay in business.

IronRidge

USA (Esdec/Hayward, CA)

XR10/XR100/XR1000 rails, FlashFoot2, QuickMount (acquired), Halo UltraGrip (Railed pitched-roof + ground mount)

Warranty: 25 years. 25-yr limited product warranty; covers the racking only, not roof leaks

QuickMount (QMSE) flashing now under IronRidge/Esdec.

Unirac

USA (Albuquerque, NM)

SolarMount, NXT UMOUNT, SFM Infinity (rail-less), RM ballasted, GFT ground (Railed / rail-less / ground)

Warranty: 25 years. 25-yr product warranty; some systems 10-yr finish

SnapNrack

USA (Amp/ formerly SunRun-owned; now Amphenol? - verify)

Ultra Rail, RL Universal (rail-less), Speedseal flashing (Railed / rail-less)

Warranty: 25 years

K2 Systems

Germany (US office Pennsylvania)

CrossRail, Splice Foot XL, K2 Ground (Railed)

Warranty: 25 years. Some products 20-yr

QuickBOLT

USA (California)

QB2 / Microflashing (butyl-sealed, no shingle lifting) (Attachment / flashing)

Warranty: 25 years

Micro-flashing is fast. Check that the installer follows roofing-manufacturer guidance.

Roof Tech

Japan/USA (San Diego, CA)

RT-MINI / E-Mount (flashless, PV-compatible sealant system) (Rail-less attachment)

Warranty: 25 years. Some RT products cite 25-yr product plus a water-tightness warranty (check)

Flashless sealant mounts passed ICC-ES AC286 testing, but some roofers and shingle makers prefer metal flashing.

EcoFasten

USA (Esdec)

GF-1 / ClickFit (rails), RockIt, tile/metal hooks (Flashing / attachment)

Warranty: 25 years

S-5!

USA (Colorado)

PVKIT, S-5-U/E clamps (standing seam), CorruBracket/RibBracket (exposed fastener) (Metal roof, no-penetration clamps for standing seam)

Warranty: Limited lifetime/25 (check) years. Standing-seam clamps avoid roof penetrations entirely

Best practice for standing-seam metal: no holes.

Ground mounts (IronRidge, Unirac GFT, Tamarack, GameChange, Brilliant Rack, pole mounts)

USA

Fixed-tilt ground, pole/top-of-pole, trackers (residential rare) (Ground)

Warranty: 10-25 years

Typically $0.20-$0.60/W more than roof mounts, but no roof penetrations and easier maintenance.