The summer is the best time for producing solar for your home or business but those hot summer days also mean hail storms. Many people considering solar often wonder if their investment will go down the tubes the first time a hail storm rolls in. A solar module or panel that is installed properly and tilted to face south is very unlikely to break from hail.
Up until recently, we would tell people we’ve never seen or heard of a solar module (panel) being damaged from hail. That includes many hail storms over 19 years, many of them producing golf ball-sized hail or larger. In fact, we sometimes need to remove (and later re-install) an intact solar system so roofers can re-shingle a roof that was destroyed by hail. Solar modules (panels) are made of tempered glass which is typically rated for 1-inch hail at 55 mph.
That being said, in recent times a hail storm in Calgary (June 2020) caused damage to some homes in the NE of the city. This was not a typical storm either, virtually everything in NE Calgary was damaged or destroyed by hail, including vehicles, siding and everything else exposed to the outdoors. The storm was so fast and furious it caused flash flooding due to the softball-sized hailstones blocking the sewer drains. This was not a typical storm by any means.
An important key to protecting your solar investment is to have your array installed by professionals and just to make sure, add the solar system to your insurance policy. In some cases, there is no additional fee for adding solar to your insurance while others may add a premium for the increased value of the home. Every policy is different so please speak to your insurance provider. We would be happy to help with any technical questions they may have.
SkyFire Energy would be happy to help you make your solar dream come true. Contact us by calling 1-87-SKYFIRE-1 or by filling out our online contact form here for a free consultation.