Solar Panels – Can They Hold Up In Extreme Weather?
You may wonder if solar panels are feasible for areas that experience extreme weather After all, snow and ice storms, tornadoes, hurricanes and hail damage regular roofs every year. Does it really make sense to install solar panels on a roof that has to withstand those kinds of weather extremes? Here is some information to help you decide.
The solar cells in the panels are encased in glass which allows exposure to the sunlight. It’s understandable that one would worry about hail or wind damage to the glass. The thing to do here is to specify that your panels are made with tempered and high impact glass. Good quality solar panels are manufactured with glass that can maintain its soundness in 60 miles per hour storms dropping 3/4″ hail. So the panels can typically stand up to conditions that are comparable to what your roofing material can bear.
Before the contractor can install your solar panels, he has to determine whether your roof will be able to support the weight of the solar panel arrays. Once that is determined and the solar panels are installed, they should be able to remain solidly in place. If there is a tornado or hurricane the solar panels will normally stay attached to the roof. The only way they would come off is if the roof itself comes off.
Take A Look at The Making of a Solar Cell
If there is a heavy snowfall, the snow may cover the solar panels, blocking the sunlight. In that case, they cannot produce electricity and you will need to brush off the snow. But the actual panels will not experience damage from a heavy snowfall.
A larger concern would be your roof’s ability to withstand a wet, heavy snowfall. In that event, it would be recommended to shovel the snow from the roof as well as removing it from the panels. In the event of a light snowfall, the warmth retained in the solar panels will normally be sufficient to melt the snow and keep the panels clear.
As a final point, look over your home-owner’s insurance policy. Often, solar panels are covered at no additional cost. If it doesn’t, think about changing to a policy that will provide this type of coverage.
A simple and straightforward approach just as one would on any other domestic product should safeguard against any significant risk of damage to your solar panels. Treat this type of project as you would any other by making sure that all the health and safety standards are applied in the same way that you would if you were to embark on new windows or a new roof for example. It is a relatively simple task. You can then sit back and enjoy the comfort of all the free energy that you will have once your project is complete.
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