Protecting Solar Panels from Hail Yeah!

Quick tips on protecting solar panels from hail storm:

As people gradually become aware of the dangers that conventional energy resources bring to the environment, demand for renewable energy sources increases. Green energy is the best alternative because it is cheap, safe, and sustainable. There is a wide range of green power services that the US energy market offers, with solar being the most popular.

According to Wood Mackenzie Power & renewable and solar energy industries association, there are over 2 million solar installations countrywide. Despite the positive strides made in a bid to having a cleaner world, there are several challenges that the sector is facing, with the hails storms being the most prominent.

The situation is so dire that CBC news estimated that the USA losses over 22 billion dollars every year on hailstorm damages, with solar energy among the biggest losers because of the massive number of solar panels damaged. The amount of damage witnessed every year reduces the number of people investing in solar energy.

To avoid hail damages, you must know how to protect your solar panels from hail storms. Here are some safety protocols you should follow to ensure that your solar panels do not get damaged by hail storms.

Solar panels are very are made of very fragile materials which can easily break. To protect them from damage, add a thin layer of Methacrylate to the surface. It will help if you contract an expert to add the extra coating to your solar panels. Solar panels have cells. If solar cells get blocked, they can interfere with the proper generation of solar energy.

The Methacrylate layer act as reinforcement to the plastic panel, making it very strong and durable. Use quality Methacrylate plates to withstand stronger storms for better results to reduce the risk of damage to solar arrays.

You can also use plexiglass covers, which are an inch thick, to cover the solar panels. If you decide to use this alternative method, ensure that the Plexiglas is larger than the solar panel. It is vital to leave a space between the tempered glass and the solar panel to avoid scratching the solar panel.

Following precautions that the weatherman provides is a straightforward but essential safety protocol that you must follow to protect your solar panels from hail damage in severe weather conditions. Subscribe to the various trusted online sites that give timely notifications in case of an emergency.

The online platforms send an early message directly to your phone immediately after a warning is issued. In the USA, the different 24-hour news channels also provide alerts on the predicted weather-related dangers. Such early warnings give you enough time to act accordingly in preparation for the expected adverse conditions.

Suppose you live in a state where intense hail storms are a common phenomenon. In that case, you should set the solar panels in a moveable position. Instead of mounting them on the roof, you can choose to construct a stand that will hold the solar panels. The frame must be out of children’s reach.

When a disaster notice is given, you can de-touch the solar panels and store them in a safer position. Constructing a strong cover for your solar panels is also another practical solution. If you choose to build a cover, use strong materials like metal. Use hinges to make the cover easily moveable. With such a cover, you do not have to de-touch the solar panels every time a hail storm notice is given but instead cover it while in position.

If you reside in a hail storm area, this can be a very viable option. It would be best if you mounted the solar panels on a surface where it can be tilted depending on the projected hail storm’s direction.

It is a very straightforward way to safeguard your solar panels from the hazards of hail storms. The process depends on the weather forecast because it makes it viable, and you must know the direction of the expected hail storm.

Adjust the surface of the solar panel panels to face the opposite direction of the hail storm. When the fragile surface faces the opposite direction, the possibility of damages reduces.

Tilting the solar panels at an acute angle prevents hail accumulation on the solar panels’ surface. Furthermore, the sliding effect reduces the impact the heavy hail has on the solar panels’ surface.

Suppose your solar panels are installed at a tilted angle. In that case, it is a crucial safety protocol that protects them from hail and strong winds. It is essential to return the panels to the natural position after the storm to maximize the amount of sunlight by exposing a more significant surface area of the panels to light.

The world is changing very fast. Technology is also getting more advanced with time, with every day, better inventions aim at improving our lives being discovered. Solar Manufacturing companies are again racing with time to improve the quality of their products.

Global warming is changing the weather patterns. Every year, the climatic conditions worsen. Hailstorms intensify. So solar manufacturers hasten the process of creating solutions to navigate such weather conditions. the solar manufacturers have made cleaning solar robots.

Install the solar panel cleaning robots to improve the safety of your solar panels. The automated solar panel cleaning robots are very efficient in the cleaning of solar panels. Cleaning robots use a negligible amount of water to clean your solar panels.

Solar panels are very fragile and should be inspected severally. Make this a habit because regardless of the amount you spend on anything, you must be responsible. Regular checkups are vital because if your panels suffer a crack after a hailstorm, repairing the panels can save them from further damages.

When conducting a checkup, make it a conclusive checkup. Start with the surface of the solar panels to the wiring and even the functionality. If the solar panels are in good shape, they should not fool you into thinking that the entire system is sound. Make it like a medical examination. A doctor can only conclude the medical investigations after conducting both the physical tests and the lab examinations.

Once in a while, you can contact a solar technician to assess your solar systems’ state. You can do it twice a year or after any adverse weather conditions. Such checkups are crucial in avoiding further damages and prevent possible accidents that a faulty wiring system can cause.

You must do intensive research on the most appropriate solar panels to install in your house before buying the solar panels—major on the amount of energy you need per day and your vicinity’s weather conditions. If the area is prone to adverse weather conditions, you should purchase strong solar panels.

Apart from buying the right solar panels to install, the type of installation method is also dependent on the weather conditions. Do not install solar panels permanently on the roof if the hails storms are often extreme but instead fit them in a place where you can de-touch in case of a hailstorm warning.

If you are in a hail storm-prone area, installing solar panel protective covers is a sagacious move. The covers are made from Sunbrella marine fabrics, which protect solar panels from adverse weather conditions such as snow, hail, sleet, and heavy debris carried by strong winds.

The covers are also essential during strong sunshine that can cause overheating. The material used in manufacturing solar protective cover is strong and can absorb any shock. It can withstand hailstorms blowing at 50 miles per hour. Hailstorms blowing at such speeds are very strong.

If you do not install the protective cover, the hail can cause irreversible damage. Installation of a solar protective cover is a long term investment because the material can last for more than ten years.

You can build a wire gauge on top of the solar panels to prevent hailstorms from hitting the solar panels. It is a widely used safety precaution in the US because of its efficiency. This has a high approval rate because it is the cheapest and efficient way of protecting solar panels from hail storms.

There is a considerable cost when switching to solar energy because the house needs an overhaul of the wiring system to become compatible with solar energy. This is a worthy investment because of the long term benefits of using solar energy. It is very cheap and environmental friendly.

Upon installing your solar panels, invest in the various safety measures to protect your solar panels from any possible dangers. Do not let your investment waste away, and there are several ways to protect your solar panels.

The national lab quality assurance task force did an exciting experiment with their panels. They shoot small ice balls at their PV modules at 70 miles per hour. The result was impressive; the panels survived. If your panel can withstand that, they’ll survive a hailstorm too.