Pv Solar Panels Hail Damage

Solar panels are designed to withstand one inch hail flying at 51 miles per hour.

Pv solar panels hail damage.

One minute the sun is shining bright across the lone star state then suddenly debris the size of golfballs rattles down and wreaks havoc that s often expensive and stressful to repair. Manufacturers of solar panels put their product through rigorous testing to ensure they re fit for purpose and won t break when exposed to normal weather conditions. As a whole solar panels are durable and hold up very well in inclement weather. And that s exactly what wws did recently with one of our key o m clients who saw a hailstorm damage thousands of pv panels at a west texas solar installation.

We ll briefly examine two types of weather that have the potential to damage solar systems hail and. While hail certainly could damage some types of solar panels the likelihood is very small and occurrences are extremely rare. Before you decide to go with solar panels you should do some research. Solar panels are designed to withstand weather including hail and thunderstorms.

Can hail damage your solar panels. The solar cells that conduct the energy are covered with protective glass which can break under certain conditions including hail storms. With hail season in full swing protect your solar panels from hail damage to keep their energy supply in working condition. Many solar electric modules and solar hot water collectors are made.

Solar panels are durable. A report from the national renewable energy laboratory nrel on 50 000 solar energy systems installed between 2009 and 2013 indicates that only 0 1 of all pv systems have been reported as affected by damaged or underperforming modules each year. However the chances of hail actually damaging panels is slim to none. In may of 2017 a particularly intense hail storm tore through the front range.

Few companies have the experience with mobilizing a large contingent of safety minded hard working technicians capable inspecting removing re installing and testing newly installed modules for maximum performance. If you have solar panels should you worry that they can get damaged by hail. When it comes to home use the pv panels usually sit on the roof where they remain exposed to the elements. Solar panels and hail damage can happen in the blink of an eye.

Poor quality solar panels are particularly susceptible to damage. One inch hail about the size of a quarter is considered severe by the nws so your panels should survive even severe hailstorms just fine. However just like your car windscreen can sometimes get damaged by extreme hail the same can happen to your panels. In short yes hail can damage solar panels and most home insurance policies cover that damage.

For the most part no.