Misconceptions of how weather impacts solar efficiency 

It seems logical to think that the hotter the day, the more power the solar panels can generate, but that is not always true. Solar panel efficiency is actually reduced in high temperatures. There are two basic reasons for this. Heat and heat. The solar panels are getting blasted by so much energy, they cannot take it all in, and secondly, when electric things heat up they don’t work as efficiently because more of that electricity gets lost as heat. The optimum temperatures to run solar panels is 77 degrees Fahrenheit, or 25 degrees Celsius. When you move 10 or 15 degrees away from that optimal temperature, either way, the efficiency starts to drop. They are still efficient enough to completely power a home on the hottest day, they just aren’t as efficient.
 

Absorbs indirect light on cloudy days 

Clouds are just little drops of water or ice floating around together. It might cool the temperature down a little, but those clouds do not block the sun from getting to your solar panels. They just obscure it a little. Like I mentioned earlier, if that were the case, Germany, England, The Netherlands and even Seattle Washington would not be the solar hot spots, but they definitely are. Believe it or not, clouds do not completely block the rays of sunshine your solar panels need in order to function. Even on the cloudiest days, your solar panels will continue to generate electricity, albeit at a decreased rate. As long as your panels are not obstructed by shade, your solar equipment is still absorbing all that indirect light filtering through the clouds.
 

Steel racking withstands hail 

Solar panels are strong, and so is the steel racking holding them in place. Hail should not be a problem unless it is big enough hail where it’s a problem everywhere. If the hailstones are just small little pebbles, then there is no problem, those little guys can’t generate enough force to hurt those panels. They are encased in steel tempered glass, and they are tested in extreme weather conditions. However, if you have some storms that can dump hailstones the size of baseballs, then those stones are going to break windows, damaged roofs, and hurt solar panels. If you live in that area, you can buy special panels that are able to withstand that huge amount of force, and Again, it is important to cover them on a good homeowners insurance policy in case an epic storm like that happens to damage even the storm rated panels.

There has never been a better time to install a solar energy system! Solar power is here to stay, and the sooner you explore how much you can save, the sooner you can enjoy the benefits of residential solar power. Go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. It tells you how much solar power you need, and how much you can save. Please visit our solar blog to find out more about the benefits of going solar.