Should I Be Concerned About Weather Conditions Affecting My Solar Panels?

Posted by Rolf Joho on May 11th, 2010 filed in Global Warming


You may wonder if solar panels are feasible for areas that experience extreme weather After all, every year roofs experience damage from snow and ice storms, tornadoes, hurricanes and hail. Would it really make sense to install solar panels on a roof that has to endure those types of weather extremes? Read on for some information to help you decide.

Here Is A Good Instructional Video on How To Build A Solar Panel

The solar cells in the panels are encapsulated in glass which allows exposure to the sunlight. It’s understandable that one would worry about hail or wind damage to the glass. Here is the answer: Make sure your solar panels are made with high impact, tempered glass. Good quality solar panels are made with glass that can maintain its soundness during 60 miles per hour storms dropping 3/4″ hail. Therefore the panels normally can stand up to conditions that are comparable to what your roofing material can take.

Before your solar panels are installed, the contractor has to make sure that your roof can support the weight of the solar panel arrays. Once that is established and the solar panels are attached to the roof, they should stay solidly attached. In the case of a tornado or hurricane, your solar panels will typically remain attached to your roof. For you to lose them now, it means the roof itself has come off.

This Video Should Help You Build A Solar Panel

If there is a heavy snowfall, the snow may coat the solar panels, obscuring the sunlight.  In that case, the panels cannot produce electricity and you will need to brush off the snow. However, the snow will not damage the panels themselves.

A larger concern would be your roof’s ability to withstand a wet, heavy snowfall. In that case, it would be wise to clear the roof in addition to removing the snow from the solar panels. But with a light snowfall, the warmth remaining in the solar panels is usually sufficient to melt off the snow and keep them clean.

A final word of advice: Check your home owner’s insurance policy to see if solar panels are included. If it doesn’t, think about getting a policy that will provide adequate coverage.

Once you have studied the requirements cafefully the risk of damage to your solar panels will be minimal Although thorough regulations may not be mandatory yet, it is wise to adopt a self imposed standard in order to ensure the least possible risk of damage to your solar panels. This is not a differcult exercise. Once your project is up and running you can then begin to enjoy the benefits of your free energy source.

Get How To Build A Solar Panel Review


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