Can hail damage solar panels in Brisbane?

Brisbane experiences more storms than anywhere else in South East Queensland, so it’s not uncommon we’re asked what might happen to your solar panels if they’re hit by a hailstorm.

In this article, we discuss the likelihood of damage to your solar panels after a storm, how to check for hail damage and what to do if your system is affected by hail.

Can solar panels be damaged by hail?

Can your solar panels be damaged by hail? Yes, they can. However, to pass the strict Australian standards, solar panel manufacturers must design them to withstand direct hits from hail stones up to 35mm in diameter – that’s a hail stone about the size of a golf ball.

Unfortunately, any larger and a hail stone can certainly cause permanent damage to your solar panels, so it is important to check if your Home and Content insurance policy covers solar panel damage by hail.

Checking your solar system for hail damage

After a large storm has passed, we always recommend checking your solar panels for damage. Even if the storm didn’t produce hail, falling branches and rain may have affected your solar system. We’ve created a quick guide to checking that your installed solar is working after a storm:

Inspect your solar inverter

If your solar system has been damaged by a large hailstorm or thunderstorm your inverter is a great place to start.

1. Do you see any red lights?
2. Are these faults displaying on the screen: Ground Fault or Earth Fault?
3. Is there any indication that power is not being generated?

If you answered ‘Yes’ to any of those points, it might be the storm has damaged your solar and it would be best to contact your Brisbane solar installer to look into it further.

Inspect your solar panels

If your inverter isn’t showing any issues, then we recommend visually inspecting your solar panels from the ground only when it is safe to do so. Remember, after a storm powerlines could have come down and there could be other dangerous things outside, so be very careful. Also don’t inspect the panels from your rooftop. If there is damage to your solar panels or system, there could be live electrical components that need to be repaired by a local solar electrician.

What can solar panel hail damage cost in Brisbane?

The cost of repairing a hail-damaged system in Brisbane varies from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars however, these costs can usually be covered under your Home and Content insurance if hail and storm damage is part of your policy. We suggest contacting your insurance provider to double-check it is in your policy.

What should you do if your solar panels are damaged by hail?

If you’ve followed our guide and noticed that your solar panels or solar system has been damaged by a passing hailstorm, we recommend calling the Brisbane solar company that installed your solar originally. They will be able to direct you on either replacing the damaged panels or repairing the system.

If you aren’t able to contact your solar company, please don’t hesitate to contact our friendly solar technicians on 0410 658 790. We can usually assist you within 24 hours so that you can back to enjoying the benefits of solar sooner.