Do Solar Panels Work in the Winter?
Solar panels are designed to function throughout the year whenever the sun is shining. With clean and reliable solar, you’ll have a more environmentally friendly and affordable way to power your home. If you’re considering an installation with Long Island Power Solutions, or if you have recently had panels fitted, you might be wondering, do solar panels work in the winter?
The simple answer to this question is yes, and Long Island solar can even be more efficient in the colder months.
Solar Panels in Snowy Climates are At Times More Efficient
Do solar panels work in the winter even in below-freezing weather? Absolutely! In fact, solar panels in snowy climates are more efficient overall.
If there’s direct or indirect sunlight, solar panels in snowy climates will produce electricity. Like most electronics, cooler temperatures allow for higher efficiency and more voltage output. Solar panels in snowy climates will generate more electricity per sunlight hour, although the days will be shorter than summer and spring, so things balance out throughout the year.
Long Island Power Solutions is experienced at installing solar panels in snowy climates. Many of our customers have asked “do solar panels work in snowy climates” and our answer is always yes. The only time panels will stop producing is if they are covered in snow, but this is only a temporary interruption.
Is Snow on Solar Panels Dangerous for Your System and Do Solar Panels Work in the Winter When Covered?
In Long Island, we get a fair amount of snow in the winter, but this doesn’t mean that your solar system will stop working. Long Island solar is designed to function in every season. Panels can resist weather extremes, just like your roof. Whether it’s snowing, hailing, raining, or blowing a gale, your panels will be protected.
Snow on solar panels will temporarily reduce or prevent solar production, but this will only last for as long as the snow sits on the panels. Long Island solar panels use a special type of glass surface. It’s slippery with little friction, so the snow on solar panels will slide off faster than it would on typical roofing materials.
Roof pitches in our region are designed to handle the snowfall that is common in the winter. Your solar panels will approximate the pitch of your roof (they may deviate for efficiency or if you have a flat roof). There’s no trouble displacing the snow on solar panels with nothing but the help of gravity in most cases.
How to Keep Snow Off Solar Panels
Snow on solar panels in the winter is nothing to worry about. But if you experience low solar production and the snow buildup isn’t immediately clearing, there are a few things you can do to help the situation.
You can’t stop the snow from falling, but you can learn how to keep snow off solar panels when it doesn’t displace on its own. There are a couple of safe methods that you can follow.
How to keep snow off solar panels by waiting: As we covered in the previous section, snow on solar panels will naturally displace when the roof pitch is at least 26.6 degrees. All you need to do is wait for the snow to melt and slide off, which usually happens with a clear day following snowfall.
How to keep snow off solar panels with water: If the snow has stopped but remains on your panels, you can use your hose as you would with your roof. Simply spraying some water will help the snow to melt and come right off. Be sure that you aren’t spraying at near-freezing temperatures because you don’t want ice to develop on your panels.
In most cases, if you’re wondering how to keep snow off solar panels, it’s best to simply leave them alone and let things happen naturally. This will prevent any accidental damage. NEVER apply hot water to panels (they can fracture) and avoid using salt or chemicals to remove snow.
Long Island Power Solutions is the Best Choice for Long Island Solar
If you’re asking, “do solar panels work in the winter”, you’re probably considering all the benefits of going solar. Your home can become more efficient with a smaller carbon footprint, and you can drastically reduce or eliminate your electric bill with the help of Long Island Power Solutions.
We install Long Island solar designed to work throughout the year. Aside from the few days of heavy snowfall that Long Island experiences, you will enjoy uninterrupted solar production throughout the year.
Do solar panels work in the winter? They sure do. And Long Island Power Solutions offers the best financing, help with your tax incentives, and a complete cost/benefit analysis to find out if solar is right for you. We provide the information. You make the choice. Talk to local experts today and enjoy your best home yet with solar panels on the roof.
