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The biggest question asked when planning to install solar panels is, “can they tolerate extreme weather conditions?” Every year many roofs are damaged by the weather extremes.  Is it really wise to put solar panels on a roof that has to withstand those kinds of weather extremes?  Here is some information to help you decide.

Here Is A Good Instructional Video on How A Solar Panel is Made

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.  The solution here is to check that your panels are made with tempered and high impact glass.   Good quality solar panels are manufactured with glass that can maintain its soundness during 60 miles per hour storms dropping 3/4″ hail.  So they will normally withstand conditions that are comparable to what your roofing material will tolerate.

Before your solar panels are installed, the contractor must ensure that the roof itself can support the weight of the solar panel arrays.  After that is verified and the solar panels are attached to the roof, there’s no reason they shouldn’t stay solidly in place.   If there is a tornado or hurricane the solar panels will normally remain secured to your roof.  For you to lose them now, it means the roof itself has come off.

Here is A Visual Concept of How The Solar Panel Works

In areas where there is heavy snowfall, snow may blanket the solar panels and block them from receiving sunlight.  If this occurs, the solar panels will not be able to generate electricity and the snow will have to be removed.  But the panels themselves will not experience damage from the heavy snowfall.

Something to be more concerned about would be your roof’s ability to hold up under 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 heat retained in the solar panels will most likely be sufficient to melt the snow and keep the panels clear.

A final word of advice: Look at your home owner’s insurance policy to see if solar panels are covered.  If not, consider changing to a policy that will provide adequate 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. 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.

The Guide To Domestic Solar PanelsPower

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