Anything placed on your home’s roof could be impacted by extreme weather—hail, lightning, storms, and more. The good news is that solar panels are built to withstand harsh conditions.
How Temperature Impacts Solar Panels
While solar panels are designed to physically withstand the Texas summer heat, the output can potentially be diminished as temperatures rise. Extreme heat won’t change the amount of light your panels absorb, but it can affect how much of that light gets converted into usable electricity for your home. Basically, as a solar panel is subjected to extreme heat, its efficiency decreases. In Texas, rooftop temperatures can reach up to almost 200 degrees on a hot summer day; it all depends on outside conditions, the time of day and the type of materials a roof is made of. It’s not unrealistic, then, to expect slightly lower output from your solar panels in extreme heat.
Extreme cold can also affect solar panel efficiency, but winter temperatures in South Central Texas don’t usually reach the sustained extremes required to have much if any, noticeable impact. As a result, don’t be surprised if your panels are more efficient in cooler months of the year.
Panels Are Made to Withstand the Elements, Including Hail and Storms
All solar panels sold through GVEC Solar Services are rigorously tested by their manufacturers to ensure they won’t be easily damaged by extreme weather.
Lightning, of course, presents a unique risk to any equipment mounted on a roof; however, direct lightning strikes are relatively rare, and GVEC Solar Services uses an equipment grounding conductor (EGC) as part of the installation process for every solar panel system we mount. ECGs create a “grounded” connection between all metal frames, equipment, and the ground, providing a path for lightning to be dissipated into the ground after a strike. This can help limit lightning-related damage from a direct or even a nearby strike.
If, after a storm, you believe your panels may have been damaged, a technician from GVEC Solar Services can come to do an inspection, make assessments and give recommendations.
Keep in mind, too, that GVEC Solar Services also offers whole-home surge protection, which provides additional lightning protection not only for your solar panel system but for any electronic equipment in your home vulnerable to power surges.
Rain: A Natural Solar Panel Cleaning
While you may be worried about the impacts of severe storms or hurricanes, rain is, for the most part, not something to be overly concerned with. In almost all cases, the water will do little more than wash dust, dirt and other debris off the panels. While the panels won’t be as efficient while it’s raining, they can actually work better after the rain subsides and the sun comes out again.
Call GVEC Solar Services Today
If you’re ready to make it less costly to power your home, GVEC Solar Services’s got a complete line of solar panel systems and installation services. All our systems include a 25-year warranty on parts and a 10-year warranty on labor. We also offer a complete line of AC/heating products and services, and Electrician services, too. For more information, call GVEC Solar Services at 855.898.8807 or contact us here.
