Solar Panels In Virginia

In order to figure out how many solar panels you need, you’ll need to determine how much energy your household uses, how many panels you can fit on your roof, the peak sunlight in your area, how efficient the panels you’re considering are, and whether net metering is available in your area. The easiest way to find out is to get a solar panel estimate from a local installer.

In most cases, your solar panels will get a good cleaning every time it rains. However, if you’re in an area that doesn’t get rain very often, you can use a garden hose, a large sponge, and mild dish soap to clean your solar panels. Never use harsh chemicals, pressure washers, or any abrasives that might scratch the surface of your panels. Many solar panel installation companies will also offer inexpensive panel cleaning and maintenance.

Solar panels are typically going to be able to produce between 245 watts and 400 watts per hour. This means that if you live in a place that gets 6 hours of direct sunlight each day, a 300-watt solar panel will produce 1.8 kilowatt-hours and a 400-watt solar panel will produce 2.4 kilowatt-hours. Multiplied by 365, this adds up to about 650 kWh to 875 kWh per year.

Yes! Properly installed solar panels are much more resilient than people imagine. Just because they’re thin and reflective like glass doesn’t mean they are fragile. In fact, many solar panel owners report extensive damage to the rest of their home, cars, and property, while their solar panel system stays undamaged. The angle and direction the panels are installed facing make the biggest difference regarding their vulnerability during a hail storm, and like the rest of your property they can be insured against hail damage.

Solar panels are comprised of an array of solar cells (photovoltaic cells). These cells, made of silicon semiconductors, absorb sunlight to create electricity and then transfer the energy into the inverter. The cells are then networked together inside of a case along with some other components to create the panel. You can read more about how a solar panel is made in this article.

Solar panels are made from a wide range of materials and chemicals that each contribute to the conversion of solar light into usable electricity. The main component in any solar panel are crystalline silicon wafers. These wafers are semiconductors that are able to generate electricity from sunlight in a process known as the photovoltaic effect.  In addition, solar panels use glass, wires, metal components, and batteries in order to fully convert and store the sunlight as usable energy for your home.