Does Hail Damage Solar Panels

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.

Does hail damage solar panels.

4 and the nrel has assured us in a recent report that solar modules will last for decades. In may of 2017 a particularly intense hail storm tore through the front range. However out of 3 000 solar modules on nrel s denver campus only one panel was broken. The hailstones were roughly 3 inches wide.

In short yes hail can damage solar panels and most home insurance policies cover that damage. Many solar electric modules and solar hot water collectors are made. Most panels are tested according to the moderate hail damage test comprising 25mm hailstones that weigh 7 53 grams. However the chances of hail actually damaging panels is slim to none.

While hail certainly could damage some types of solar panels the likelihood is very small and occurrences are extremely rare. In fact a 2017 hailstorm in denver that caused severe damage across the city proved the durability of solar panels. Solar panels and hail damage can happen in the blink of an eye.