Safeguarding your home and assets becomes paramount. Among these assets, solar systems—whether for pool heating, domestic hot water, or power generation—require special attention. These systems represent a significant investment and play a crucial role in our daily lives. This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to prepare and protect your solar installations from the ravages of a hurricane. From isolation techniques to post-storm assessments, we’ve got you covered.
Safeguarding your home and assets becomes paramount. Among these assets, solar systems—whether for pool heating, domestic hot water, or power generation—require special attention. These systems represent a significant investment and play a crucial role in our daily lives. This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to prepare and protect your solar installations from the ravages of a hurricane. From isolation techniques to post-storm assessments, we’ve got you covered.
It’s best to ensure your solar system is isolated so no water travels to the Solar Pool Heating panels on your roof. If you’re not 100% certain how to isolate your solar system, turn OFF the circuit breaker controlling your pool pump. This ensures no water movement until it’s safe to turn it back on.
Every Solar Water Heating (or Solar DHW) system has isolation valves that prevent water from traveling to and from the water heating tank and the panel on the roof. If you’re unsure about these valves, it’s advisable to turn off the water to your water heating tank. This prevents potential water loss until the storm has passed and a visual inspection can be conducted.
Solar grid-tied PV systems automatically shut off during a grid outage unless paired with a solar battery. If you have a solar grid-tied PV system, it will restart once grid power returns. However, if you’re concerned about strong winds or are evacuating, consider additional precautions. For instance, you can turn off the safety disconnect for your Solar grid-tied PV system before or during a major storm. This ensures no issues arise if windborne debris damages the panels or the roof area where they’re installed. If your Solar PV system includes batteries, it should remain operational during a grid outage, providing limited power. Monitor your battery power levels. If the battery fully discharges during an outage and there’s insufficient Solar Energy for recharging, a certified professional might need to manually recharge it. Conserve energy when battery levels are low and Solar Energy isn’t available for recharging.
You can safely reactivate the system(s) once storm dangers have subsided and after conducting a visual or physical inspection for potential damage or leaks. If you suspect any damage, have a certified service technician inspect it before resuming operation.
Make sure your battery is set to “Back up Mode” instead of “Self Consumption Mode.” This ensures it remains fully charged before a grid outage. If you’re uncertain about this setting, contact our office or consult the manufacturer’s website.
There might be a fee for evaluating storm damage. Additional charges may apply for repairs or replacements. Warranty claims might be rejected by the product manufacturer if damage results from an act of God.
