Solar panels will still function in bad weather such as rain and snow, although their efficiency will understandably be reduced.

This means that solar scotland is far from a seasonal energy source and you can enjoy year round clean energy completely free following installation.

How do solar panels cope with bad weather?

Given that over their lifetime, solar panels will be exposed to all forms of different weather conditions, manufacturers design their panels specifically to deal with them.

When looking for a solar panel installer make sure that the products they provide are water-proof, corrosion-proof, and dust-proof to ensure maximum performance for decades to come.

You should also check that the panels come with a warranty of at least 25 years.

What is the impact of different weather conditions on solar panel performance?

Of all weather conditions cloud is by far the one which will impact on the efficiency of your solar panels the most.

Your solar panels will still generate some amount of energy when under cloud cover but significantly less than when in direct sunlight, operating at around 10-25% of clear day productivity.

When designing their solar panels, however, cloud is only one weather state that needs to be considered by manufacturers.

Rain

Solar panel electricity production when it is raining will depend more upon the nature of the rain clouds than the rain itself and you can generally expect similar efficiency to that of an overcast day.

However, rain can actually be quite beneficial to solar panel owners as it can wash away any dirt and debris that has built up over time.

This means that once the rain has subsided and the clouds cleared away, your solar panels could end up being even more efficient than they were previously.

Snow

If snow accumulates on top of your solar panels, electricity production will stop as light is unable to reach the solar cells.

Luckily though, snow will do no damage to your solar panels, and they will return to a fully operational state once the snow melts away.

Often, the warm electrical components within solar panels mean that snow does not settle, so unless a significant amount falls in a short period your solar panels will remain working.

Extreme Cold

There is a common misconception that solar panels work better in the warmer months of summer, but this is not always the case as cold weather is actually ideal for maximum performance of the components within.

The key element of a solar panel’s operation is light, not heat, so for those in a cold climate who may have dismissed solar panels as a viable option, it is time to reconsider.

In fact, you should be more concerned if you live in a climate that gets extremely warm as the moment that the outside temperature exceeds 25 degrees Celsius, the panels will begin to lose their efficiency.

Why is installation so important to solar panels withstanding bad weather?

With the correct installation, your solar panels will be more than capable of surviving and producing electricity in all forms of extreme weather.

However, with so many companies now offering solar panel installation in the UK, it is not always easy to go about finding yourself the best installer to do this.

Before proceeding with any installation, make sure to check the credentials, online reviews, and previous customer accounts of the services offered by the company in question.

You should also look for a company that offers the longest possible warranty so that if something does go wrong as a result of bad weather, or for any other reason, you will be able to have it fixed without additional costs.

Is it worth it?

With so many different weather conditions impacting on the operation of solar panels are they really worth the effort?

Well, if you listen to financial advisors and customers who already have solar panels installed – ABSOLUTELY!

Solar panels are one of the best investments you can make for the future, helping you do your bit to help save the planet, whilst immediately slashing your energy bills and protecting you against any future price hikes.

For those looking to go completely off-grid with their energy production, significant investment in solar panels really is a must, but even if you are just looking to take some of the pressure off your monthly energy bills and live a cleaner lifestyle a few carefully positioned panels can make all the difference.

There are many benefits to solar panel ownership that you can enjoy from the moment of installation right up until you decide to move on with solar panel installation proven to increase the price of property, with valuers and potential buyers both seeing the benefits of their presence.

Boilers benefit hugely from having an annual service – but does it really matter when the boiler is serviced if it’s done yearly? On a purely functional point of view, there is arguably no different – but there is the major question of convivence that make it significantly better to get the boiler serviced during the summer.

Many people don’t think too much about their boiler servicing, tending to have it done around the time the boiler was installed or around the time of a previous breakdown. In most cases, to comply with a warranty you’ll have to ensure the boiler is serviced every year.

In this article, we’ll look at some of the reasons it is best to have the boiler serviced during the summer.

It is Cheaper

It is usually a lot cheaper to pay for a service during summer, because engineers are not nearly as busy. There is a lot more downtime – most of which is unproductive for the engineers.

How much it will cost to discount the boiler will depend on whether you are using an independent heating engineer or firm. Furthermore, whether you’re having a one-off service or using a service plan is important to consider. In most cases, a one-off service will be far more expensive than a

During the winter there tend to be significantly more breakdowns and as a result engineers tend to be much, much busier. As a result, services are usually discounted during the summer.

It’s far more efficient

Boiler efficiency is checked as part of an annual boiler service. Boilers which aren’t running efficiently are likely to be using more fuel than necessary – resulting in much higher fuel bills – which is a serious problem for anyone.

A properly qualified Gas Safe (or OFTEC) registered heating engineer will always check the boilers efficiency to ensure it is running at maximum efficiency. This means that when the winter comes, you’ll have a far more efficient, far more reliable boiler – ensuring you are prepared for winter.

Early Fault Detection

Boilers require regular maintenance or risk suffering serious faults and failures. If you do not use your boiler during the summer, there is the possibility of important components of the boiler seizing up – and even corroding through lack of use. Boilers which aren’t used periodically are liable to suffer serious issues with internal components

By having a boiler serviced during the summer, you can identify potentially serious problems early on – allowing you to avoid the issues before they happen. Furthermore, because the issues can be handled during the summer months, it’ll be much easier to get them repaired (or potentially replaced). Furthermore, unlike during the summer, you won’t be as affected by the temporary loss of the boilers functions as it is being repaired.

It’s a lot more Convenient

Getting your boiler serviced during the winter can prove incredibly inconvenient due to how busy engineers are during this period.

Not only are they also handling other servicing jobs, but they are often handling a huge number of repairs and installations as well (due to the increased number of breakdowns that happen during the winter). Furthermore, engineers will NOT prioritise you during the winter. They will be prioritising emergency repairs. This means you will often have to pick a time which is very inconvenient for you to get a boiler assessed.

During the summer, many heating engineers are effectively short of work. This is largely because there’s just not as much boiler use during the summer and so fewer breakdowns or issues to deal with. Whether an engineer is part of a firm or is just an independent contractor, they’re far more likely to be able to give you both a time and a date for a boiler service appointment during the summer.

This means it’s much easier to book a servicing for a boiler during the summer than it is the winter, and ultimately much more time convenient.

Avoiding Christmas

Having to deal with a boiler servicing is already a pain – but having to do with it around Christmas is often a serious pain – especially if you’re trying to save money. By getting your boiler serviced in the summer, you can easily circumvent this pain.

In Summary

Boilers benefit massively from being serviced during the summer. Not only can you avoid a huge amount of hassle, but you can much more easily secure the services of an expert engineer at CHS Glasgow and reduce costs. Furthermore, you are liable to avoid serious potential issues with your boiler – well before they emerge.