Hail is one of the most severe forms of weather. When living in Colorado, you know how much damage a hailstorm can cause. Not only are your home and car at risk, but your solar panels can suffer serious damage from hail, too. That is why it is important to know how to protect your solar panels from hail so you never have to worry about them getting damaged.
As a solar panel company in Colorado Springs, CRJ Contractors knows just how crucial it is to protect your solar panels from hail damage. With solar energy becoming increasingly popular, more and more homeowners are starting to install solar panels. If you are thinking about taking the next step in sustainability, you may be wondering if solar panels would be a good investment, especially if you live in an area with hail. Fortunately, solar panels are extremely durable, and there are lots of ways you can protect your solar panels from weather damage.
However, before reading about the ways to protect your solar panels, let’s discuss why protecting them is essential for homeowners.
Are Solar Panels Hail-Proof?
While solar panels are technically hail-proof, it is still important to take safety precautions to protect your solar panels from significant weather damage. For instance, most solar panel manufacturers agree that hail is not as much of a threat to solar panels as homeowners think. All manufacturers agree that damage from aggressive weather is infrequent and rare but still possible.
That is why it is vital to have a protection plan in place for your solar panels in case you are expecting serious hail damage. Here are seven tips to protect your solar panels from damage.
1. Invest in Good Solar Panels
Not all solar panels are made equally. In other words, you get what you pay for.
Before you invest in solar panels, you want to ensure that they have been tested for hail damage. You can determine if they have been tested because the company will have a ‘hail test’ certification on the product or website.
Another way to tell is by reviewing the solar company’s customer reviews. This is a great way to tell if there are any additional problems, as well as how well the panels hold up to daunting weather conditions.
2. Install Solar Panel Protection Covers
Solar panel protection covers are one of the most effective ways to protect your solar panels from hail and other severe weather. Solar panel protection covers fit over your solar panels and can protect them from hail, heavy rain, and snow.
However, it is important to note that these protection covers do not protect solar panels from intense wind or storms, such as a hurricane. There are different types of covers for different types of weather conditions, so if you are mainly looking to protect your solar panels from hail, make sure you purchase the right type of cover.
These protection covers range from low to expensive as far as pricing goes. However, compared to the repairs you would have to make to any broken solar panels because of heavy hail storms, it is worth the investment.
On average, these protection covers are 70-90 percent effective, which is a large percentage for how decently priced these covers are. The only disadvantage of this option is that they require continual maintenance and cleaning to make sure dirt doesn’t get stuck in between the cover and the solar panels, causing the panels to be less effective.
3. Keep Up to Date on Weather Forecast Predictions
While this may seem self-explanatory, when you are a homeowner with solar panels, it is vital that you keep up to date with local weather conditions. By doing this, you can take precautionary actions for any upcoming storms in your area that could damage your solar panels.
Some solar panels even come with a built-in weather forecaster that can give you predictions on how the weather will look like the next day as well as ways you can prepare for the weather.
4. Continually Inspect Your Solar Panels
While solar panels are very durable, they still need to be maintained and cleaned on a regular basis. Otherwise, they can receive serious damage from weather conditions. This is also why it is important for you to inspect your solar panels regularly.
Before you inspect your solar panels, it is necessary to know how to inspect them. There are many different ways to inspect your solar panels, but most manufacturers recommend checking to make sure they are clean and do not have any cracks. If there are any cracks, that is when you should have a professional come out for a proper inspection.
5. Place a Layer of Methacrylate on Your Solar Panels
Methacrylate is a protective material that is known to protect things from hail. Therefore, this is perfect to coat your solar panels with to protect them from serious weather damage. There are two different ways you can apply methacrylate to your solar panels.
One way is to spray it onto the glass surface. If you spray methacrylate on your solar panels, it is important to only spray it on the reflective material and not the metal or electrical parts. If you do, this could cause damage to the panels and cause them to short out. It is also important to note to not spray too much methacrylate to the reflective area because it could block sunlight and cause the solar panels to be less effective.
Another way to apply methacrylate is to add a thin layer to the solar panel itself like a strip of plastic. This way is probably the easiest way to add methacrylate to your solar panels without risking possible damage to its circuits. Adding a layer of methacrylate is the most cost-effective way to protect your solar panels from hail.
6. Arrange the Solar Panels at an Angle
Arranging your solar panels at an angle is another great way to protect them from hail because the hail will slide off the panels. This is a very simple, cost-effective, and easy way to avoid any damage to your solar panels from a hail storm.
However, this tactic does not fully protect your solar panels from hail like some of the other options listed above. This will work during less serious hail storms.
7. Build a Wire Gauge to Protect Your Solar Panels
You can buy a wire mesh, or something similar, such as a PVC pipe, to cover your solar panels. This meshing will protect from bad hail storms and is also very cost-effective. Building a wire gauge and installing it yourself is pretty simple.
If you are concerned about how this may affect the sunlight your solar panels are receiving or how much rainwater can sweep through, then consider adding another layer of wiring above the solar panels.
Switch to Solar Energy With CRJ Contractors
Installing solar panels is one of the most beneficial decisions you can make as a homeowner. Along with the environmental benefits, solar panels can save you money, increase your home’s value, and allow you to control your energy consumption. However, as a homeowner, you may be wondering if solar panels can be damaged by hail. With the unpredictability of the weather in Colorado, the possibility of hail damage to your solar panels may leave you questioning if they are worth the investment. Luckily, solar panels are extremely durable and there are a number of steps you can take to protect your solar panels from hail damage.
At CRJ Contractors, we are your partner in solar energy. As a solar panel specialist in Colorado Springs, we are passionate about serving the Colorado community as the best solar panel contractor. This is why we are proud to offer residential and commercial solar energy services. When you work with CRJ Contractors, you gain an expert in sustainable home improvement. If you have questions about our solar panel process, or if you want a free estimate, contact CRJ Contractors!
