Solar Panels In Arizona

The average solar panel weighs about 40 pounds. This will add about 2.8 pounds per square foot to pitched roofs, and about 5 pounds per square foot for flat roofs.

On average, you can fit about 25 to 28 solar panels for every 500 square feet of roof space. However, in some cases, homeowners will not be able to utilize the entire roof space due to shading or roof grade.

Typically, an average-sized house will need 20 to 25 solar panels. However, depending on the size of the house, the sun exposure, where you live, and how much energy you consume, you could need more.

Solar panels, or solar photovoltaic panels, transform sunlight into usable energy by converting the light into an electric field that then flows into a conductive wire.  The conductive wire flows into the inverter which then transforms the electricity to an alternating current which can then be used to power a property.

You can read our full article about how solar panels work here.

The simple answer is any time they become obstructed by too much debris or grime to work efficiently. How long that takes will depend on your location. If you live near a populated downtown, your panels will get covered in soot faster, but if you live in a rainy place, your panels may stay cleaner longer. As a general rule, it is best to clean and inspect your solar panels every 6 months, but you may find it makes sense to clean them more often and get full efficiency from your clean solar panels.

When properly installed, especially in hurricane-prone areas like Florida, the strict installation regulations ensure that solar panel systems are as safe as the rest of your home and roof. In many circumstances, the added reinforcement actually helps the home and roof fare better in a hurricane than a home without solar panels. Of course, as in any natural disaster, anything can happen and there is no way to guarantee your solar panels won’t sustain damage or be ripped up along with the roof.