Solar Panels, Hail and Storm Damage

Solar panels are more robust than people expect — they're tested for impact and wind as part of certification, and they frequently come through storms that damage the roof around them. The risk worth understanding is the damage you can't see.

Hail and storm resilience

Panels are more storm-resistant than most people assume — the standard test is a 1-inch ice ball at roughly 50 mph. The real vulnerability in high wind is usually the attachment to the roof, not the glass.

How much hail can solar panels take?

As part of certification, panels undergo impact testing with projectiles at specified sizes and speeds, along with mechanical load testing for wind uplift and snow.

Racking systems are separately engineered and certified for wind and snow loads, and the design must match your local requirements — which the permit process checks. See solar racking and mounting systems.

The practical result: panels commonly survive hail that damages asphalt shingles, and properly installed arrays survive high winds. Severe events can still cause damage.

What are microcracks in solar panels?

The reason a post-storm inspection matters even when panels look fine.

Microcracks are fine fractures in the silicon cells beneath the glass. They may be invisible from outside — the glass intact, the panel apparently undamaged — while:

• Reducing output, sometimes modestly at first
• Worsening over time with thermal cycling
• Progressing into more significant failure

This is why "the panels look OK" isn't a complete assessment after severe hail, and why monitoring data is the better indicator than visual inspection.

What should you check after a storm?

1. Check monitoring first. A production drop following a storm is the most reliable signal. With panel-level data, a single module down relative to identical neighbours is nearly diagnostic. See solar panel monitoring explained.

2. Look from the ground, with binoculars if you have them:

• Cracked or shattered glass
• Displaced or lifted panels
• Damaged or bent framing
• Debris on or under the array
• Damaged conduit or wiring
• Missing or damaged mounts

3. Check the inverter for fault codes. See solar inverter troubleshooting.

4. Check the roof itself — around and under the array, for lifted shingles or flashing damage.

Don't climb on the roof to inspect, particularly if panels may be damaged. Cracked glass and compromised wiring are hazards, and array DC conductors remain energized in daylight.

When to get a professional inspection

• After severe hail, even if panels look intact — microcracks
• After high winds, to check mounts and flashing
• After any production drop following a storm
• After a lightning event nearby
• When roof damage is being assessed anyway

An inspection can include specialized imaging that reveals cell damage invisible to the eye. If you're making an insurance claim after significant hail, that documentation is worth having.

Does homeowners insurance cover solar panels?

Confirm coverage rather than assuming. Roof-mounted systems are often covered under a standard homeowners policy, but this varies by insurer and policy.

Practical steps:

Notify your insurer when the system is installed. Some policies require disclosure, and the added property value may affect your coverage limits.

Ask specifically whether the system is covered, at what value, and whether there's a separate deductible.

Keep documentation — installation records, equipment details, cost. See solar and home resale value.

For third-party owned systems — leases and PPAs — the provider typically insures the equipment, but confirm what happens if your roof is damaged. See solar loan vs lease vs PPA.

Note that warranties don't cover storm damage. Product warranties cover manufacturing defects, not external events. That's what insurance is for. See solar panel warranties explained.

How do you claim for solar panel damage?

If you need to claim:

1. Document immediately — photos, monitoring data showing the production drop, the date
2. Get a professional assessment including imaging if hail damage is suspected
3. Don't attempt repairs before the adjuster has seen it
4. Involve your installer, who can document the damage technically
5. Keep production records from before and after, which substantiate the loss

The production data is your strongest evidence, particularly for microcracks where visual damage is minimal.

Reducing risk

Some of this is design, some is maintenance:

Choose appropriate ratings for your climate — impact and load ratings are on the datasheet. See solar panel specs explained.

Quality installation matters most for wind — properly engineered racking, correct attachment spacing, mounts on rafters. See choosing a solar installer.

Trim overhanging branches, which cause impact damage in storms and shade the array anyway. See how shading affects solar panels.

Clear debris from under and around the array periodically.

Glass-glass construction, as found on many bifacial panels, is generally more robust than glass-backsheet. See bifacial solar panels.

Ground mounts can be easier to inspect and repair, though they're similarly exposed. See ground mount vs roof mount solar.

The bottom line

Panels are impact- and load-tested and often survive storms that damage the roof around them. The risk worth taking seriously is microcracking from severe hail, which reduces output without being visible — so check monitoring data rather than relying on how the array looks. Confirm your insurance coverage when the system is installed, document any post-storm production drop immediately, and get a professional assessment after severe hail even if everything appears intact.

Check production with the solar output calculator, revisit economics with the solar panel payback calculator, or read solar panel monitoring explained.

Standards and code reference

The standards behind this guide, for looking up in the edition your jurisdiction has adopted:

• UL 61730 / IEC 61730 — module safety qualification, including the hail impact test
• IEC 61215 — module design qualification and type approval

Code editions and local amendments vary. Confirm the adopted edition with your AHJ, and treat manufacturer instructions as governing wherever they are more restrictive.