We dodged a cannonball, not a bullet,” said chief meteorologist David Paul.
Unlike hurricane Katrina and Rita, Laura did not even become a hurricane until 36 hours before landfall and didn’t become a major hurricane until 180 miles off the Texas/Louisiana coast.
Hurricane Laura had a look of a worst-case scenario for the Houston area, and it’s time we take such warnings seriously. To be prepared, there are many things individuals and families can check off their to-do-list such as buy food, fill your gas tank, buy water, candles and make sure6 you have all your devices charged in full. But what happens if your power goes out for days, and you need that protection for your family and household. When you hear the word hurricane - the first thing that should come to mind is ‘solar backup.’
Solar panels can withstand some of mother nature’s most extreme weather conditions like wind, heavy rain, hail, snow, thunderstorms, and hurricanes. IntegrateSun offers a solar panel warranty for 25 years, which shows the long life of these solar panels and their ability to withstand severe weather conditions.
You can book a free online consultation with IntegrateSun solar expert today. Discover how easy it is to switch to solar and protect your home and family this hurricane season and years to come.
How can a solar system help keep your home safe during a hurricane?
1) Solar panels can survive during harsh weather conditions:
A storm once left a trail of destruction in Denver. Several car windows shattered, leaving golf ball-sized dents on the roofs of vehicles and local properties.
After the storm, the staff at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) set out to assess the damage. They discovered that only one panel broke out of the 3,000 solar panels located on the roof of the Research Support Facility building.
This news wasn’t a total shock to the NREL researchers. They have accorded tests to prove that solar panels on the market can survive the harsh environmental conditions.
This includes not only how solar panels react to mechanical stress, such as hail or being walked on, but also high and low temperatures, humidity, solar ultraviolet radiation, and even the electrical stress that the panels apply to themselves when operating in high-voltage systems.
The surface of solar panels is made of tempered glass, which makes the panel strong. When you knock on a solar panel’s surface, it sounds like you are knocking on a front door, not on a window. That gives a good indication of the durability of the panels. These quality standards help reinforce the homeowner’s confidence in residential solar panels.
2) Solar systems keep the lights on during and after a hurricane.
When you install residential solar panels, you want to make sure you have power if the grid goes down caused by a hurricane.
To keep your house running when the power goes out, here are a few ways:
Store power with a battery - A battery storage system will provide the most power in an outage caused by a hurricane. When you add a battery backup system as part of your residential solar panel installation, extra energy produced by your panels is stored in your battery. A battery can provide backup power to such home appliances as your refrigerator, microwave, etc. When your neighborhood’s power goes out during a hurricane, the battery kicks in and powers your home appliances, making sure your house can function with the necessary electricity.
Add a generator to the mix - When it comes to your home, there is no such thing as being too safe; adding a generator to your solar and battery is a combination that allows for maximum protection following a hurricane. The generator automatically turns on when a grid outage is detected.
The true way to have your solar cake and eat it is to go hybrid. A hybrid system springs into action when the grid is down. With a hybrid system, you will have the peace of mind that comes with a battery backup; if the grid goes down, you can run your household appliances for as many days your battery has power.
Install home solar panels to ensure a reliable energy source for years to come
Hurricane Laura did not appear clearly on the satellite as a severe hurricane until the last minute. Situations such as these tell us how much we need to be prepared and keep our home energy efficient.
Solar panels are one of the most durable and reliable energy technologies in the world, and industry efforts mean that they are becoming more resistant to severe weather conditions every day.
Installing a residential solar panel system ensures that your home can produce its power during harsh weather conditions, and your family stays protected.
One of the best ways to help support disaster recovery is to give financially to organizations that directly support the recovery work on the ground. Below are some of the local and statewide organizations with disaster funds to help support.
STATEWIDE
* Volunteer Louisiana Foundation Disaster Fund
SOUTHWEST/LAKE CHARLES AND SURROUNDING AREAS
* Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana Hurricane Relief and Recovery Fund
ACADIANA AREA
* Community Foundation of Acadiana Disaster Response Fund
ADDITIONAL HURRICANE SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES
* Baton Rouge Area Foundation Hurricane Relief and Recovery Fund
Book an online consultation for more information on how you can go solar.