How Sturdy are Solar Panels?

Steve Thomas is the host of Planet Green's Renovation Nation, a program that focuses on making green renovations to homes across the country. In his regular column on PlanetGreen.com, Steve goes behind the scenes of the show and offers additional tips and insight on green renovation.

How Sturdy are Solar Panels?

A few commentors have asked if solar panels are sturdy enough to withstand extreme weather such as hurricanes.

In one episode of Renovation Nation, I visited a solar-powered, net-zero house on Bainbridge Island in Washington, and we torture-tested the solar panels by going after them with a baseball bat.

The panels are really rugged, and most people in the industry think they will last far longer than their guaranteed life, which is about 20-25 years. As long as you are able to keep the solar panels on your roof so that they do not blow away, I do not see anything other than a direct hit by a meteorite being able to do a lot of damage. Small stones and other bits of debris that may get kicked up by a big wind aren't really going to hurt the panels. Even if a panel gets damaged, it will still produce electricity.

The main thing to be concerned about is the racking system that holds the panels to the roof. That has to be well anchored to the structure of the home. The racking systems are designed to withstand pretty serious winds, and they are usually robust. I wouldn't have any big concerns there. Just make sure you have the panels installed correctly.

Don't miss the Gift of Green episode of Renovation Nation.