Solar is one of the best ways to improve the efficiency of your home and reduce your energy spend. Long Island power systems can work in most weather conditions, even with rain and clouds. However, snow produces a unique challenge especially when panels become fully covered.
If you’ve wondered will my solar panels work in the snow, this guide contains all you need to know.
Solar Panels in Long Island Need Light to Function
Solar panels in Long Island work by capturing the abundant energy in sunlight. The photovoltaic cells need light to operate and won’t work when fully obscured. While your system will keep running during a light snowfall, when the panels become covered, the system will stop producing energy.
Will my solar panels work in the snow? The short answer is no, but we implement specific design features to help keep your home more efficient during the coldest months of the year.
Long Island Power Systems Snowfall Facts
Solar panels typically only face short-term challenges when it’s snowing.
- Just like your roof, Long Island power systems are designed to bear the weight of snow. They are extensively tested to ensure that they can sustain pressure caused by snow as it builds up on panels. Our Long Island power systems are designed specifically for the expected weather conditions experienced in New York.
- Panels won’t produce power when they’re covered in snow, but they are installed at an angle (just like the pitch of your roof) to ensure that excess snow slides off or melts in the sun and as the air warms.
- Like many electronics, solar panels work more efficiently in colder weather, so your home will still produce solar energy during the winter, providing that the panels aren’t fully obscured from the sunlight.
Battery Energy Storage Systems Can Help
For the hours when your solar panels in Long Island stop producing energy, you can rely on battery energy storage systems. There’s a custom battery system to suit your budget and the unique needs of your home. The system can be relatively small and inexpensive if you only need battery backup for critical loads, such as your electronic heating, refrigerator and freezer, and lighting. Larger systems will supply more power over a longer blackout period if you have space and the budget to install one.
Even modest battery energy storage systems can provide a few hours of backup power for when your panels stop producing. If you do end up drawing power from the grid while it’s snowing, this can be offset by any excess energy that you supply to the grid during optimal sunlight hours.
Long Island Power Solutions can install battery energy storage systems along with your initial solar installation. Simply talk to us today to get started with your consultation.
Will My Solar Panels Work in the Snow? Start with Your Energy Evaluation to Learn More
To learn how suitable your home is for power, and how much energy you can expect to generate during the winter or at any other time of the year, you can talk to Long Island Power Solutions.
We’ll answer, in detail, important questions like “will my solar panels work in the snow”. Our energy assessment will determine the perfect system size for your unique needs based on your home design, location, energy usage, and long-term goals.
Electricity in Long Island is some of the most expensive in the Tri-state area, putting solar panels among the most valuable investments you can make in your home.
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