Severe weather is complicating one U.S. homeowner's plans to use solar panels to bring down high summer electricity bills.
Before investing, the resident took to Reddit's r/Solar forum to find out which panels can withstand "crazy hail" and how readily damaged panels can be replaced.
Here's what to know
Before collecting installation quotes, the homeowner asked the Reddit community which panels had the best reputation for reliability.
The original poster wrote that, "The summers down here really drive up energy costs. We sometimes get crazy hail, so [being] robust is a must. Also we wonder, are some panels like Legos and can be swapped out easier than others?"
The OP noted that their annual electricity consumption was about 18,000 to 20,000 kilowatt-hours.
Commenters noted that outright panel failures are quite uncommon. One top comment read, "Solar panels of any brand rarely fail."
Another user noted that to avoid hail damage, "You could look for monofacial panels with 3mm front glass and bet on that over bifacial panels which come as thin as 1.6mm front /1.6mm back glass."
A third commenter noted that, "I'm pretty sure they all have to pass a 1-inch hail impact test as part of the UL listing. Not a real-world test, but they all are resistant to moderate hail."
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For a household weighing weather risks alongside summer bills, EasyHome also offers options to explore battery storage. Pairing solar with batteries can help manage electricity costs and provide backup power during outages, depending on the system's configuration.
Where can I learn more?
Panel durability is just one factor to weigh when considering rooftop solar.
• With $350 bills and outages, one Texas homeowner turned to DIY whole-home solar.
• A Louisiana homeowner weighed a $28,000 solar investment against potential returns from other investments.
• A California homeowner facing a $1,200 electricity bill chose a $65,938 solar setup.
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