Does Hail Damage Solar Panels

For the most part no.

Does hail damage solar panels.

Can hail damage your solar panels. However extreme weather can damage the glass. Solar panels and hail damage can happen in the blink of an eye. You can take preventative steps when installing the panels if you live in a climate that usually sees a lot of hail.

Poor quality solar panels are particularly susceptible to damage. Solar panels are designed to withstand one inch hail flying at 51 miles per hour. Solar panels are designed to withstand weather including hail and thunderstorms. Solar panels are rated using two class systems.

Hail storms can wreak havoc on your home and solar panels. In may of 2017 a particularly intense hail storm tore through the front range. One minute the sun is shining bright across the lone star state then suddenly debris the size of golfballs rattles down and wreaks havoc that s often expensive and stressful to repair. Solar panels and hurricanes with high wind speeds and heavy rain solar panels may be at risk of being dislodged from their spot or damaged by high volumes of water.

However just like your car windscreen can sometimes get damaged by extreme hail the same can happen to your panels. There s a severe hail damage resistance test which tests panels for cricket ball sized hailstones. Hail may be an impressive physical force but solar panels are well equipped to withstand impacts even from large hailstones. The whole solar panel is covered in a layer of tempered glass.

Many solar electric modules and solar hot water collectors are made. Unfortunately there s little you can do to protect your solar panels from the damaging hail when a storm hits. Here s a video of what that testing looks like. Most panels are tested according to the moderate hail damage test comprising 25mm hailstones that weigh 7 53 grams.

In short yes hail can damage solar panels and most home insurance policies cover that damage. However the chances of hail actually damaging panels is slim to none.