Roof Tech, a provider of innovative PV solar mounting solutions for residential and commercial projects, has been selected to provide its rail-less mounting solution to Border Solar of El Paso, Texas, for a major new development of single-family homes. When completed, the project will encompass installation of Roof Tech’s signature product, RT-[E] Mount, on the PV systems of more than 100 homes currently under construction on a 15-acre site on the outskirts of El Paso.
RT-[E] Mount cuts installation time from two hours to 40 minutes per home.
Roof Tech sales director Tim Vaughn is working closely with Border Solar PV designer and project manager David Oropeza on the new project. In mid-September, Vaughn traveled to El Paso to provide hands-on guidance for the first installation. “Tim came out to our work site and taught us how to do the installation step-by-step,” said Oropeza. “Once we learned the simple techniques, it took just 40 minutes to install a 2-kW system instead of the usual two hours, which translates into huge time and cost savings for us.”
For Border Solar, a simpler, safer way to install rooftop PV systems.
As a project manager, Oropeza said he is always looking for faster, easier, safer ways to complete PV installations. “Before Roof Tech, our installers had to carry long, heavy rails up to the rooftop to measure and cut, and the metal rails would get searing hot under the El Paso sun,” he said. “With RT-[E] Mount, all parts for an entire 2-kW PV system fit in a single bag, so our installers only need to carry one lightweight bag to the roof, then take out each piece as needed.”
Massive rains and flash flood warnings prove Roof Tech products to be watertight.
To deliver a weatherproof seal that lives up to its “One with the Roof” promise, RT-[E] Mount incorporates butyl rubber flashing, renowned for its watertight performance and durability. Traditional PV mounting solutions utilize metal flashing with long span rails secured by lag bolts and sealed with caulking, which can compromise the seal. “Our crew was skeptical at first,” admitted Oropeza, “but after installing RT-[E] Mount on our first three homes, we had to stop work due to massive rainfall and flash flood warnings. When the rain ended, not a single drop had leaked through the butyl rubber seal. Now everyone is thrilled that we chose Roof Tech.”
Adding value to the biggest investment of a lifetime: a new home.
Green building is at the core of Border Solar’s mission and Oropeza said that the demand for solar in the El Paso market is growing quickly. “All our customers demand solar when they buy a home,” he explained. “When a person is making the biggest investment of their life, they don’t want to see unsightly rails and wires on their rooftop. With RT-[E] Mount, the PV modules are completely flush with the roof so it’s far more visually appealing and adds to the overall value of the home.”
— Solar Builder magazine
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