Hurricane Sandy & Your Solar Energy System

Good afternoon,
As all of us on Long Island prepare for Hurricane Sandy, preparing for the worst but hoping for the best, we just wanted to consider a few items related to solar energy systems:

• If there is a power outage, your solar electricity stops as well. As you know, if there is a power outage in your area, you will lose electricity just like everyone else. The reason your solar energy system will not continue to power your home is not only that in the storm there is likely to be no sunlight, it is also because systems have an automatic shut-off because they are “grid-tied” (connected to LIPA’s power lines). In short, your home’s solar power feeding out to those lines would cause live wires if downed and potentially electrocute workers repairing those lines if not shut down.
  
• Solar manufacturers design their systems to withstand powerful winds. Manufacturers of the mounting systems that secure your solar panels to the roof engineer them to comply with local building codes, under your permit for your solar installation, and to meet hurricane standards. That means they design their equipment to withstand 120 mile-per-hour winds. Keep in mind that Hurricane Sandy is classified as Category 1 with sustained winds of least 74 mph, well below the hurricane wind standard. (By the way, the highest hurricane classification is Category 5, reserved for storms with winds exceeding 155 mph, ala Hurricane Katrina.)
  
• Other issues during a hurricane? Keep in mind that most damage in high wind events is actually caused by the impact of flying objects. Realize that if major debris hits something, even a solar panel, damage can surely occur. If your neighbor’s barbecue collides with your solar array moving at 74 mph there’s bound to be damage. That’s where manufacturer’s warranties and homeowner’s insurance come into play. 
  
• The bottom line? On a positive note, keep in mind that Built Well Solar had two installations located in the tunnel of a the tornado that hit Islip a few years back and, in both cases, the solar arrays stayed secure. In one case, a panel was damaged by a tree that fell on it, but the panel itself held fast. The truth is that there are just too many variables to list -- the immediate force and direction of the wind, the construction of the roof, the presence of trees that may fall, the location of buildings nearby that might block wind, etc. etc., but rest assured that your solar energy system installation was “built well” and to code, to the best of possible standards.