Where solar meets snow safety

By Jenny Yu.  

TRA’s Faux Panel Mount helps contractors safely integrate snow management with Tesla Solar Roof systems. 

In this episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Megan Ellsworth spoke with Mindy Dahlquist, business development manager of TRA Snow & Sun, and Nick Zavala, brand president of American Home Contractors, to talk about how TRA’s Faux Panel Mount integrates with Tesla Solar Roof systems and is changing how contractors approach snow retention on solar roofing projects.  

For American Home Contractors, adopting Tesla Solar Roof technology has been both an opportunity and a learning experience. “Strategically, it positioned us at the forefront of roofing, roofing technology and renewable technology and has really opened new opportunities for us,” Nick said.  

At the same time, the evolving system presented new challenges, particularly when the winter months rolled around. “Tesla Solar Roof tiles are made both from glass and metal. When we have a significant amount of snow, that snow can shed very, very quickly,” Nick explained. “We had to make sure that we had solutions in place to ensure that, one, the people going in and out of those homes are safe, and two, that your property is taken care of and safe.”  

These challenges helped drive the development of TRA’s Faux Panel Mount. “This isn’t a shingle that we are just going to drill down through,” Mindy shared. “We had lots of R&D meetings, lots of testing and we sent products out to specific contractors to work them and make changes.” The result uses a 3/16 stainless steel snow blocker that can be powder-coated to match the Tesla roof surface, preserving aesthetics while improving safety. 

Nick said that the Faux Panel Mount was a turning point for his crew. “When we got this product, it was a game changer in terms of timeline,” he said. “Before, we would burn through a dozen batteries just installing the other system because it was a lot heftier it had different requirements that were unnecessary, there weren't pre-drilled holes. This solution has really changed the way we think about snow retention by making it easier for our teams to install.” 

Read the first article in this series or Listen to the podcast to learn more about how TRA’s Faux Panel Mount works with Tesla Solar Roof systems.