It’s that time of year again where many parts of the U.S. are getting their shovels and snow blowers out, preparing for those pesky snow storm warnings. While there are plenty of things to do around the house in preparation for snow days, homeowners that may be thinking about investing in adding solar energy to their homes may also be wondering how might that affect solar panels, if at all.
There are many things to consider prior to making the addition of a solar energy system to your home because while solar energy is becoming for affordable and is the best option as a long term investment in drastically lowering energy costs, it is still just that…an investment. The good news — on top of the fact that your home is taking part in helping the planet by being sustainable — solar panel systems are very smart and complex, meaning they are not that easily affected by the changing of months. While the winter may bring things like day light savings time and lower sun exposure in general, the panels are designed and installed to absorb maximum sun rays all throughout the year.
In a lot of ways, the cold month’s cause households to use more energy than in the spring or summer; so you may still be wondering, how do they possibly provide homes with an adequate amount of power? With heaters working hard to keep your home at a comfortable temperature and lights being utilized during longer periods in the day — and don’t forget all those electrically powered holiday decorations— ultimately houses will require more energy. That said, while it will not make your panels inactive, the output can very well be less in the winter, especially depending on your geography. Where you are in the county can actually affect if the panel tilt needs to be adjusted in order to ensure they are retaining optimal amounts of rays during winter months. Although the system may be limited in terms less access to its main energy source, they are designed to harness more energy than the average household needs; meaning, there may not be as much excess electricity being stored, but homeowners can sleep tight knowing their system will not fall short in providing the house with the power it needs to run smoothly. This is all a part of the design of the complex system that prioritizes the safety and consistency of energy usage in modern home.
For the states and regions that have to worry about potential hazards pertaining to snow or ice, we can’t promise you that your winter won’t include shoveling and scraping ice off your car in the morning, but we can tell you that your solar panels will be just fine. Often times, the panels will do their own cleaning as the durable, smooth and slanted glass surface will allow the snow to slide right off. If any amount of snow does get left on the surface, it is possible for rays to still reach the panels and despite the amount being less than normal, sometimes a sunny day after a snowstorm will even help that last bit of snow melt right off. It is recommended that if there is a large or stubborn amount of snow that for some reason is not leaving your panels on its own, that homeowners do not attempt to remove it themselves and call their installation company.
It is always important to consider factors that may hinder the ultimate optimization of your residential solar energy system. After all, your home will now be in charge of supplying its own energy, so you’d want to make sure it will be sufficient in providing for you and your family. The main thing to remember is that these systems are smart and are added to your home having considered factors such as seasons, weather, and other external occurrences that your system may have to endure in the future so that you can be confident in their ability for years to come.
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Solar Opportunities is a Full-Service Solar Consultation, Design and Install company services Pennsylvania. Our cutting edge design platform enables inquiring minds to access all the information they need to know in a clear, transparent fashion in a short amount of time. Systems can be designed from satellite imagery for residential, commercial and agricultural properties. For more information, visit us at https://www.solaropportunitiesllc.com, email us at info@solaropportunities.com or call us at 570-637-6384.