Noticed all the solar panels in my neighborhood after that big hail storm last spring

I drove through my folks' suburb in Denver a few days after a nasty hailstorm last April and spotted at least 8 houses with new solar arrays going up, which got me wondering if people are finally treating renewable energy like storm-proofing instead of just a feel-good thing anyone else seeing this shift where you live?

3 comments

3 Comments

skyler_jackson271mo ago

Get some impact rated panels and you are basically hail proof for life. Most quality brands these days are tested to handle golf ball sized hail without cracking. Your folks might actually save more on insurance premiums than they pay for the panels themselves.

ray_martinez821mo ago

Hold up, are we talking about the same impact rated panels? I had a buddy who went with a big name brand that claimed golf ball sized hail protection, and a storm with hail barely bigger than a quarter still managed to spiderweb three of them. The insurance discount is real for sure, but I've heard those savings can take like 8-10 years to actually pay off the premium you're paying for the panels themselves. Plus some of those impact panels are way heavier and can put stress on your roof structure if it wasn't framed for it from the start. I'm not saying it's a bad move, but it's not always as cut and dry as the marketing makes it sound.

fiona_west211mo agoTop Commenter

Installed them two years ago after a bad storm, no issues since.