Best Tips To Protect Your Solar Panels From Hail Damage: Solar panels can be costly for purchase, installation, and maintenance, but they are worth it due to the fact that they produce free green energy for the consumer. However, these panels may be at the mercy of harsh climatic conditions such as hail.
To keep solar panels functional for a long time and provide energy efficiency, they have to be protected from hail. This article is going to discuss how you can protect your solar panels from hail and safely do so by discussing measures such as electric shock hazards.
How Hail Causes Damage to Solar Panels
Not only frequent hail storms but also big hailstones may do considerable harm to solar panels. It can cause cracking of the glass surface, damage the cells, and thus decrease the efficiency of the panel. Some ways to prevent these natural threats include careful installation and ensuring safety from electric shock during the repair of solar panel.
Among the many things that people think about while constructing their houses, or any other building for that matter, is how they can protect their solar panels from hail. Here are some key points that can be of help:
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Invest in Durable Solar Panels: Select ones that are specially certified for weather resistance, particularly in extreme weather conditions. Check out panels with high hail resistance indexes.
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Install Protective Covers or Mesh: A protective cover or mesh may also come in handy in preventing hailstones from damaging your solar panels while still allowing light to penetrate through. This extra precaution is important when working on the panel in order to avoid any electric shocks.
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Regular Maintenance and Inspection: You should also perform occasional checks on the state of your solar panels for any form of physical depreciation or other signs of damage. Cracks or damage discovered at an early stage eliminate other complications, including electric shock hazards during repairs.
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Tilt Your Panels: During hailstorms, when possible, it is advisable to tilt your panels to the least inclined angle towards the ground. A steeper angle lowers the threat of hail and ultimately reduces the impact on the panels.
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Consider Installing a Solar Panel Protection System: It is also important to note that there are more specialized protection systems that exist, such as retractable covers or even fully automatic protective shields that can be used during storms.
Safety Considerations
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Turn Off Power Before Inspection: It is common knowledge that if you want to inspect or do some repairs on your solar panels, make sure that they are not connected to any source of power. This minimizes the chances of getting an electric shock.
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Use Proper Insulation: When cleaning the surface of the solar panels, especially after a hailstorm, it’s good to use insulated tools and protect your hands from coming into contact with the electrical sections of the panel.
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Hire a Professional: In serious cases where you have huge damages to attend to or where you do not have confidence in undertaking the job, seek the services of a certified contractor. This allows them to conduct an assessment and make repairs without the high risk of being electrocuted.
Conclusion
Preventing hail from getting to your solar panels is important to ensure that they continue to function effectively and last for a long time. If the aluminum exterior panels are of high quality and hail is caught early, the panels can be protected with custom-made covers and require only periodic cleaning and polishing. It is important at all times to safeguard oneself by switching off the power before carrying out any assessment or fixing. If you follow these tips, you can maintain your solar panels and your home for years to come.
FAQs
Q1. When should I conduct a hail check on my solar panels?
A1. It is advisable to inspect the panels after any large hailstorm and at least semi-annually to look for issues that may have gone unnoticed.
Q2. Can solar panels withstand hail?
A2. Most modern solar panels are created to resist hail up to a specific diameter, although larger hail can still be detrimental. The following protective measures can help.
Q3. What should I do if hail strikes my solar panel?
A3. Switch off the solar panel power supply to avoid accidents like electric shock and seek professional service to fix the problems.
Q4. Are there certain solar panels that can withstand hail?
A4. Yes, there are manufacturers who make more resistant solar panel that are specially designed for hail-prone regions.