In the run up to this year’s devastating wildfires, Los Angeles was drier than normal. After a wet February 2024, LA received only a fraction of its typical rainfall October to January, drying out vegetation. Elsewhere in the world, warmer oceans are intensifying hurricanes and other forms of extreme weather.
Climate change, and its effects on extreme weather and wildfires, makes carbon-free energy more important than ever before. But climate change is also a threat to homes and the home solar panels many people install to address climate change and save money.
No one wants to live through a natural disaster and, if you’ve lost your home, your solar panels may be at the bottom of your list of concerns. Here’s how Palmetto helps its customers in the case of a natural disaster.
See how much you can save by going solar with Palmetto
What Happens if a Natural Disaster Destroys Your Solar Panels?
How your solar company can help you if your solar panels are damaged depends on whether you leased or bought them.
Leased solar panels
If you lease your solar panels, you don’t own them. That means if they’re damaged or destroyed, you shouldn’t be on the hook for repairing or replacing them. Different leasing companies may structure their agreements differently, but here’s how Palmetto’s LightReach handles systems damaged in a natural disaster.
Palmetto will cover necessary repairs or replacement at no cost to you. If your system is completely destroyed, you don’t need to make your monthly lease payments.
If your LightReach solar system was affected by a natural disaster, Palmetto likely knows thanks to the production data we monitor. You should still reach out via live chat within the Palmetto App or on palmetto.com, phone at (855) 339-1831, or email at [email protected]. If you are in an evacuation zone and have any billing questions, Palmetto can review your claim remotely. Never return to a dangerous area to check on your solar panel system.
Owned solar panels
If you owned your solar panels, repairing or rebuilding them is up to you and your homeowners insurance policy. That’s one of the reasons to make sure your insurance policy covers your solar panels.
See how much you can save by going solar with Palmetto
Wildfire Smoke and Solar Panels
Wildfires can affect solar panels, even if they don’t completely destroy them.
Wildfire smoke, like anything that comes between solar panels and the sun, can reduce solar panels’ production. One recent study modeling the effects of wildfire smoke on solar panel production found that during a particularly smoky year (2020), solar panels near fires in Modesto, California, could have produced 11% less electricity than normal. Farther from active fires, the effect was smaller, like in Denver (3%) or New York (1%).
Any ash or soot on your panels will block the sun and reduce the electricity they can generate. Cleaning them, either yourself (safely spraying with a hose from the ground level) or with the help of a professional, can keep them producing at their highest level. Keep in mind that nature will also help clean your panels during the rainy season.
Credit: Saiho/Pixabay
Frequently Asked Questions
Will solar panels work if the power goes out?
Grid-connected solar panels without batteries don’t work if the power goes out. A backup battery can temporarily separate you from the grid, keeping your solar equipment and the utility’s repair people safe. How long a battery can back up your home depends on how much you choose to back up, whether you have solar panels that can recharge it during the day, and how big of a battery bank you have installed.
Does wildfire smoke affect solar panels?
Anything that comes between solar panels and the sun, wildfire smoke included, can reduce solar panel production. How much production you lose depends on how thick the smoke is.
See what solar can do for you:
David FairbankSVP, Services & HardwareDavid Fairbank is Senior Vice President of Asset Management & Services at Palmetto where he started in 2022. He is a girl dad of three and lives in Los Angeles.
