Rooftop solar panels aren’t cheap — so in an especially active hurricane season, they can create anxiety for homeowners who have a $20,000 investment strapped to their roofs.
“Panels are made to withstand those elements,” he said.
Here’s what you should know about how solar panels hold up to hurricane winds, hail and snow.
Wind
Most solar panels are certified to withstand winds up to 140 mph, which is what you might encounter in a Category 4 hurricane or an EF-3 tornado. In Florida, the most hurricane-prone state in the country, many local building codes have even higher wind-speed standards of 160 mph or more.
But the strength of your rooftop solar panels depends on how well they have been installed. Contractors generally bolt metal racks onto a roof and attach panels to them using clips certified to hold on in high winds. A 2022 analysis of solar panel damage in the Caribbean during recent hurricanes found that racks, clips and bolts often failed to live up to their wind-speed certifications because of shoddy installations. The solution, according to the authors from Princeton and New York University, is better installations and closer inspections.
Still, Delman says panels can weather most storms and usually take damage only in catastrophic conditions. “Any storm that damages panels is already probably going to take your roof off,” he said.
Hail
Most solar panels are protected by a layer of tempered glass, which is strong enough to fend off light hail. But hailstones bigger than an inch could damage internal components or crack the glass and let in dust and moisture, which make a solar panel produce less electricity.
