Posted Tuesday, December 20, 2016

What to Do If You Suspect a Problem with Your Solar System

Solar power systems require good engineering, installation and ongoing monitoring to ensure that the system performs at its best. This means making sure that electricity offset doesn’t diminish more than is expected, especially during the first few weeks and months after the initial system install. The entire idea of a well-designed solar panel system is to remove an expected amount of the power draw burden from the grid and onto the independent source of power that is the solar system. When that amount of power starts to fluctuate rapidly, that may be an indicator that something may be wrong with either the solar panels, the wiring, the inverters or other related hardware tied to the system.

So, what should you do if you suspect a problem with your solar panel system? Should you attempt to climb onto the roof, inspect the panels and mounting hardware, make an educated guess about what’s wrong and try to fix it yourself? Well, if you happen to be an Urban Solar installation professional, perhaps could could complete those tasks without a problem. But, if you’re like the dozens of our other customers who don’t necessarily have intimate knowledge of how solar panel systems are configured and installed, then it’s best to leave the solar panel diagnostic work to the pros.

Problems with solar power systems can come from multiple sources. One of the most common is damage to panels as a result of inclement weather or other atmospheric events (tree branches falling, debris from construction, etc.). These types of issues are fairly easy to identify, as damage to panels is fairly obvious. However, some hail and sleet storms can damage solar panels over time, resulting in problems with the solar system that don’t immediately reveal themselves. This means it may take months or even years for a solar panel problem to develop, and it may not be until a professional has a look at it before the real culprit is identified and resolved.

Working with a professional solar power system installer like Urban Solar means you’re doing your job to ensure that your investment in renewable energy provides the highest return possible. To learn more about how to integrate solar power into your home or commercial building, contact us for a completely free energy assessment. We look forward to working with you!