Once you have made the smart decision to switch to solar electricity, you need to prepare your home for the installation. Your system should keep producing solar electricity for 40 to 50 years with minimal maintenance, repairs, or part replacements. That being said, it can be expensive to uninstall and reinstall them, so if you notice that your roof is going to need replacing within the next year, you may want to consider replacing the roofing before purchasing solar panels.