At the Solar Energy World headquarters in Maryland, we have seen our fair share of extreme weather. If you are considering solar power for your home, you may be interested in knowing how durable your solar panels will be when subjected to the variety of weather extremes that occur on the east coast.
The solar panels installed by Solar Energy World are incredibly durable. The surface is made of tempered glass, like the rear windshield of a car. This means that, in extreme weather, you can expect the same type of performance from your solar panels as you can from auto glass.
On the east coast, we experience every kind of weather extreme, from snow and sleet, to high winds and hail storms. The factor that would hinder the performance of your solar PV system most would be the build-up something that blocks the sunlight from the photovoltaic cells. Luckily, our climate is such that we experience a decent amount of rainfall, so dust and dirt regularly are washed from the surface. The build-up of snow would decrease performance temporarily, until either the snow melted or it was brushed or swept from the roof. However, neither dirt nor snow would damage your system in any way, and function would resume as normal as soon as the cells were exposed to sunlight.
A hailstorm is capable of damage to many outdoor structures, but the occasional hail that falls in our area is rarely very large or substantial enough to cause real damage. Again, think of the performance of your car windshield during a hail storm. The tempered glass is built to withstand different weather events.
The threat of high winds involves the force of flying debris, such as tree limbs, and smaller outdoor objects. Smaller branches that are tossed around in a thunderstorm will not do any damage. It is also important to consider that the threat of trees and branches is typically decreased because your solar panels will need to be installed in an area without significant shade.
Remember, solar panels are not fragile pieces of technology. They are constructed to endure a wide variety of weather events, and continue to produce electricity when exposed to the sun!
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