Heavy Snowfall on Solar Panels in the Winter

Your Solar Panels in Winter

Solar Panels Can Still Power Your Home During the Colder Months

If you got solar panels installed this year, you might be concerned about your first winter with renewable energy. Will your solar panels continue to collect enough energy to power your home outside of the sunniest months of the year? There’s no need to panic – solar panels are remarkably efficient, and even on a winter day, they can generate more than enough power to keep your family comfortable. Even though you’re not feeling the heat, the sun is still shining in the winter, and your panels are designed to collect as much solar energy as possible. In fact, if you have a solar battery installed alongside your solar panels, you can still end up with extra energy to store at the end of the day!

Winter Solar Panel Maintenance

That being said, there are certain precautions you should take to keep your solar panels effective, efficient, and undamaged throughout the winter. Maintaining your solar panels is a year-long job, but winter weather can bring additional factors and challenges into play. Use these easy maintenance tips to ensure that your home maintains a steady supply of clean, renewable energy through the end of the year and into the next.

Clearing Off Snow and Ice

If you live in an area especially prone to snowfall and icing, it’s important to check your solar panels on a regular basis for accumulating ice and snow. Not only do ice and snow block sunlight from reaching your panels, but too much build-up can damage your panels or even your roof. The heat generated by your panels typically causes snow and ice to melt and fall off on their own, but if you notice persistent coverage, you can carefully clean your panels on your own. Just be careful that none of the snow and ice you clean off of your panels piles up on your roof!

Check for Pests

When the temperature drops, you and your loved ones probably like to hide away inside to avoid the winter chill. Unfortunately, you aren’t the only ones with this idea – pests like to make themselves at home under your solar panels during the winter months, where they can damage your panels or chew through your roof. Be on the lookout for nests, droppings, tracks, and other signs that pests could be nesting under your solar panels.

Remember to Take Care of Your Roof

One of the biggest challenges that comes with a solar-powered home is taking proper care of your roof, and this is especially true in winter. Solar panels make it difficult to detect the common symptoms and warning signs of roof damage, as it’s hard to see past them and take a good look at your shingles. Winter weather can make this even more difficult, as roofing inspections and repairs are less safe and less effective at lower temperatures. If you notice that your panels are harboring pests, shedding snow and ice onto your roof, or concealing potential flaws, contact a professional roofer immediately to resolve issues before they compromise the structural integrity of your roof.

At Lyons Roofing, our licensed roofers can help you maintain your roof and your solar panels with inspections, repairs, and solar accessories. Contact us online or give us a call at (520) 447-2522 today for more information!