Where Is The Best Place To Harness Solar Energy?

By Jim Thorpe

This is a question that all solar panel owners living in wintry conditions have to confront. You know that the panels are delicate and you don't want to mess up your shingles or the solar mounting systems. Still, the snow is up there and is preventing the panels from making electricity, so what do you do? First and foremost, it is never a good idea to climb up onto you roof in snowy and icy conditions. Your health and safety is much more important than your solar panels, so don't go climbing up onto your roof and falling off like Clark Griswold. There are some other methods that work.

Use a Broom

Checking the Garage Door

Spray them with Water

Obviously, the sunniest regions will be the best for using solar panels, but even areas that get a mix of cloud cover and sunny days can benefit from using solar panels. In an area where you may experience cloud cover for up to half of your year, there are some tricks and tips you can use to make the most of the sun that you do get.

The design of the roof in many homes has a tendency to create spots where water will collect. Without a way for the water to run off, it will stay there indefinitely, weighing on the structure of the home in the process. You should have your steel roofing installed at an angle. This design will make it impossible for the water to go anywhere but off of the roof. You don't want home at the end of a storm to find that your roof caved in because the weight of the water on it became too great.

While this may seem like a frustrating answer, letting the snow melt is probably the best way to handle snowy panels. This is true because you don't want to risk injury just to try and coax a little extra power out of your solar panels. Secondly, most solar panel providers allow you to build up credit in the sunnier months to compensate for the snowy winter months. This means that the extra power you generate in the summer can be saved up for the winter. Your solar panels are placed at an angle to ensure that the snow will melt and drain right off the surface.

Be Safe

As soon as this toxic sludge makes contact with your possessions, they're immediately ruined. Your homeowner's insurance policy must be up-to-date and protect your stuff from these kinds of incidents. The right home insurance policy might cost a pretty penny, but it's better than what you would have to spend if you didn't have any policy at all.

About the Author:

TRA Snow & Sun is the right company to improve your home by increasing your energy efficiency with solar mounting systems and ensure your building is ready for the winter with snow fences, snow guards, and more.