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FAQs: Weather, Warranties and Lifetime
- How long do PV Systems last?
- What is the warranty?
- Do I throw the panels out after 25 years?
- How much maintenance is required?
- What about hail?
- What about lightning?
- What about high winds or snow load?
- Is there any danger from a PV system?
How long do PV Systems last?
The typical PV panel is warranted to produce at least 80% of its rated capacity for 25 years. Many do much better than this. The Inverter is warranted for 10 years and is more likely to suffer a breakdown than the panels. The wiring and the mounting system should last as long as the panels.
What is the warranty?
The panels have a 25 year power production warranty. The Inverter has a 10 year warranty and the installation has a 5 year warranty.
Do I throw the panels out after 25 years?
No, panels will only rarely stop working. Instead you will see a gradual degradation in their power output after their warranted period. A .8% (point 8 percent) per year loss of energy output is typical.
How much maintenance is required?
Very little. Typically PV panels require no maintenance. About the only thing that an owner can do is to wash them down if they get too dirty, but even that doesn't happen very often. Typically, the panels are kept clean enough by the rain and snow falling on them.
What about hail?
PV Panels are very tough. They are tougher than a typical roof and are rarely damaged by hail. If, in the unlikely event that the panels do get damaged, they will usually be covered by your homeowners insurance.
What about lightning?
Lightning is the chief cause of failure in PV Panels. The best way to combat this problem is to make sure that panels are well grounded. A separate grounding wire connects all the panels to one another and then to the ground in the house electrical system. This way, if a panel is hit, the electricity from the strike will be diverted to flow through the wires into the ground and it won't harm the panels. If you live in an area of high lightning risk you will want to run the grounding wire to a large spike buried in the ground.
What about high winds or snow load?
All of our PV systems are engineered for the wind speeds and exposure ratings of their installed location. We have a structural engineer who will analyze your roof and the wind speeds and snow loads. Only after we get the engineer's approval will we go forward with an installation.
Is there any danger from a PV system?
A PV system generates a considerable amount of electric power and thus should be treated with respect just like the outlets in your house. The owner should never cut wires or disconnect the system without a good understanding of what they are doing.