Winter is one of the most important times of the year for energy production. You want to make sure you’re powered up so you’re not exposed to the elements. It’s also a time when many people worry about their energy bill. Heating costs are expensive and paying the electricity bill on top of that can just be too much. It’s one of the many reasons why people are making the switch to Greenleaf Solar. Installing solar panels at your home or business can make winter more manageable.
Greenleaf Solar Can Bring Down Your Energy Costs
At Greenleaf, we’re in the business of helping our customers bring down their energy costs. We also know that you are going to have many questions about how solar power works. And we often hear one question that’s winter related. Customers want to know how snow affects solar panel. We’re about to reach snowfall season, so Greenleaf wants to tell you about what happens when snow falls on your panels and let you know about how to get the white stuff off of them.
Solar Panel Issues Related to Snowfall
According to the US Energy Department, you don’t have to worry too much about light snowfall. Wind can easily blow the snow off of your solar panels. But heavier snowfall can cause more difficulty. The weight of heavy snow can place stress on your panel’s support structure. Heavy snow can also slow down the amount of energy that your solar panes produce, but it’s a myth that snow can completely shut down your energy output. Light can still move through snow and snow will start to slide forward, enabling the panels to be exposed to more light. Even solar panels that are completely covered by snow are still able to generate electricity.
Removing Snow from Your Panels
There is actually a benefit to having snow fall on your solar panels. Snowfall helps to clean the panels, according to the energy department, which describes the phenomenon as similar to what happens when snow melts off car windshields. You won’t find debris, because dirt bonds with the snow and melts off with it.
So if you think the snow will melt away easily, it may not be a bad idea to simply wait for it to melt away. There are safety issues connected with taking snow off of rooftop panels and you also want to avoid damaging panels. Most experts suggest using a roof rake, not a shovel, to remove snow from your solar panels. CNET recommends using a squeegee-like strip at the bottom of the roof rake as a protection against damaging the panels. A roof rake will allow you to reach high places, while at the same time avoiding scratching the panels.
Greenleaf Will Provide Power Year Round
While winter weather can sometimes have an effect on the energy output, it won’t shut down your solar power. If you make the switch to solar power, you’ll have access to the electricity you need all year round. When there’s a power outage for customers of the electric company, your power will still be on and your energy bill will be substantially lower than utility company customers. To learn how, contact us today.