Time to read: 6 minutes
When it comes to solar panels, we’ve already gone over how they get onto the roof during the installation process, but what goes into making them stay there when the weather takes a nasty turn?
Strong winds, storms, snow, and hail are all weather events that every home has to withstand, and the Solar Powered System installed in such homes need to endure these conditions as well. In this post, we’ll be covering some common concerns over rough wind and weather and what you need to know about how your solar panels deal with them.
Strong Winds and Solar Panels
When a Solar Powered System is in the design process, your solar consultant and design engineers account for anything and everything that your system is going to have to withstand, including wind strength. This is one of the first things that goes into considering wind strength is that there is no golden solution when it comes to designing for wind loads. Every Solar Powered System is going to be designed a bit differently, especially when the customer’s needs for the system and the environment are taken into consideration.
Each system that is designed and installed by IES Texas Solar is tailor made for the customer. Depending on what the customer wants to get out of their Solar Powered System, the design will be a bit different to accommodate their needs. When solar panels are installed onto the roof, several factors are considered when they are placed.
- What kind of material is the roof made of?
Typically, a commercial roof will be made of a membrane material while a residential roof could be made of several different kinds of materials. These are important to factor in when installing solar panels being that wind strength and weather need to be considered when they are attached.
- How tall is the building?
The taller the building, the stronger the wind. Most Solar Powered Systems are designed to withstand strong winds, and taking things like wind strength in relation to the height of a building helps the design engineers build the most durable system possible.
- What are the weather conditions usually like in the area?
This is particularly important. Some areas of Texas are more prone to storms and/or hurricanes than others. This means that your solar panels may have to be attached or racked in a different way than they otherwise would be in a part of the state that doesn’t have wind storms of that magnitude.
- What is the environment around the installation like?
Are there larger buildings right next door? Are there trees or other things that may become debris in the event of a tornado? These are taken into consideration by your solar consultant and PV design engineer when your system is being built out. Additionally, solar panels are incredibly sturdy, so in the event that something does hit them, it is unlikely to cause any noticeable damage unless it is an especially large and damaging object.
Typically, the taller the building the stronger the wind speed will be. When your Solar Powered System is installed, your solar consultant and the PV design engineers will always take the weather and environment into account when they work towards the ideal system for your needs.
Solar Powered Systems and Storms
Solar panels are extremely durable. While they have this glossy, futuristic, high-tech look that may make them look fragile, they can handle most of the things that nature throws their way. A big part of this is because they are made with tempered glass, and nothing short of the heaviest impacts will actually cause them any harm. Rough weather is a common concern for many customers, so let’s cover some weather events that we see the most questions on.
- Hail
In Texas, hail is a more common occurrence in some areas, but isn’t a threat to solar panels. In fact, hail is unlikely to cause any lasting damage at all. In a study conducted by energy.gov, only one out of every 3000 panels sustained any noticeable damage during a hail storm. Again, much of this is due to the fact that solar panels are made with tempered glass, making them extremely durable.
- Tornadoes and Hurricanes
Given how impactful hurricanes and other wind storms are, these weather events are one of the most common concerns for owners of Solar Powered Systems. First, any type of tornado, hurricane, or violent windstorm is an extremely dangerous event. Your priority is to get to safety or the most secure location possible. A weather event like this in which entire homes can be completely destroyed is a significant threat to not only your Solar Powered System, but to your entire home as well. The risk category to the building definitely plays a role in the design, but typically, solar panels are designed to handle wind speeds of 90 to 120 miles per hour. It may go without saying, but once your home is hit with hurricane force winds, you likely have more than just your solar panels to worry about. The good news is that damages for these weather events are likely covered by your warranty and/or insurance.
- Snow and Blizzards
Snow is unlikely to affect your solar panels in any significant way and will usually melt off of your panels fairly quickly. The most that is likely to happen is that you may experience limited energy production for a short time, but it won’t cause any significant impact on the total energy produced by your Solar Powered System. Also, many solar panels that are manufactured today are bifacial, meaning that any light reflected off of the surface of your roof and onto the back of your solar panels will produce energy as well. During colder points of the year, even if your panels are briefly covered in snow, the light that is reflected onto them will still give you power.
What about things like clouds, inclement weather, or times when there isn’t much sunshine outside?
Though it may not seem like it, sunlight is still hitting your solar panels on cloudy days in a way that still produces plenty of energy. There may be a slight decrease in the energy that is produced, but overall you will still produce plenty of energy for your home.
Solar panels are incredibly durable pieces of technology. Though the list of weather and wind conditions that they can withstand is impressive, it’s important to remember that they are not invincible. Heavy debris and town-shattering storms can still damage them, but that’s where your warranty and insurance has you covered.
In the end, there is very little that can actually damage your solar panels. Your Solar Powered System is just as reliable as it is durable, and trust us, the systems that are installed by IES Texas Solar are exceptionally durable.
If you are considering switching to solar for your home or business, reach out to us by going to our website, iestxsolar.com, or by giving us a call at (855) 447-6527.
