Seeking Advice on Seismic Upgrades and Solar for a Clay Roof
We moved into our house a year ago and are embarking on some upgrades.
We have a clay roof, original to the house.
We need to do a seismic retrofit and my understanding is that clay roofs are heavier and thus we may need additional upgrades. I'm looking for a recommendation for an engineer to draw up plans who has experience working with houses with clay roofs. Maybe this is unnecessary, but I'm trying to understand the impact of a clay roof on a seismic retrofit. Appreciate any advice.
Separate but related, we're looking to add solar and clay roofs add complexity and cost. I'm looking for advice / solar company recommendations if you've successfully added solar to a clay roof.
Thank you!
Jul 15, 2025
Parent Replies
We worked with Earthwise Energy to install solar on an old clay roof. Jason and team are awesome. The team takes customer satisfaction really seriously and was super supportive even after install.
Some companies make metal roofs that look like tile. McElroy is one. It might be cheaper and safer to replace the roof and then add solar.