Due to the increasing awareness of the adverse effects of the sun’s rays on the environment, solar panels are becoming popular. These panels are relatively durable, but hail is always a concern for homeowners with a metal roof. As a result, this blog will attempt to explain how hailstorms may affect solar panels, the kind of harm that may ensue, and the extent of the harm, depending on the intensity of the hailstorm.
Type of Hail Damage
Hailstorms can wreak havoc on your solar panels in two distinct ways:
Visible Damage
This includes scratches and cracks on the protective glass’s outer layer. These can be relatively small but can greatly decrease the amount of light that gets absorbed and the amount of energy that gets generated.
Internal Damage
Hailstones can also destroy the solar cells and circuits beneath the glass. This hidden damage may not be easily observed but can cause reduced performance, localized overheating, or even complete panel failure.
Both types of damage must be assessed after a hailstorm. Therefore, a detailed inspection is necessary. The inspection should evaluate the effectiveness of the solar system and how much it has benefited you, as well as ensure that the solar system is still productive.
Severity of Hail Damage
The extent of hail’s impact on solar panels depends on the strength of the hailstorm and the panels’ ability to withstand it. Larger hailstones are formed and move at a higher velocity than smaller ones, causing more damage. Also, the occurrence of hailstorms frequently or for a long time raises the risk of destruction.
For instance, small hailstones below 1cm in diameter usually do not cause much harm and are usually only capable of scratching the surface. Nevertheless, hailstones larger than 3 cm in diameter can break the protective glass and, consequently, the solar panels’ solar cells, which reduces power production.
Other Factor
Apart from the severity of the hailstorm, other factors determine the extent to which a solar panel is at risk of getting damaged.
The panel type and material used are also important, as monocrystalline and polycrystalline silicon differ in their levels of durability. Also, tempered glass offers an added layer of security to the products being sold online. The angle at which the mounting is done also plays a role in the panels’ performance since those mounted at higher angles are more likely to deflect hailstones.
In Conclusion
We hope this answers your question of “Do Hailstorms damage solar panels? As hailstorms can affect the efficiency of solar panels by damaging them in apparent ways, as well as those that are not easily noticeable. The degree of damage can vary depending on the strength of the hailstorm and the susceptibility of the panel. For any sudden accident that may need a change of Solar Panel, we suggest contacting CR Builder.
Don’t Let your Solar Light Dim!
Recent hailstorms may have damaged your solar panels. Don’t wait for energy bills to skyrocket. CR Builders solar simplicity meets efficiency as starting with inspection, preferred proposals, and then a hassle-free installation. Once alive, your solar system will start converting sunlight into power and saving you on energy bills. Furthermore, CR Builder can expertly repair your panels and get your system back to peak performance. So, what are you waiting for? Contact us today for inspection and excellent Solar Panel Service.
