Clearing Snow From Small Solar Panels Safely

The safest way to clear snow from a small solar panel is often to wait, because sun and the panel's own warmth shed a light layer. If you must clear it, use a soft cloth brush or another tool with no hard edges, work from the ground, keep clear of wiring and connectors, and never walk on the panel or climb a snowy roof. Portable panels can simply come inside. Anything higher than you can reach safely is a job for a professional.

Do you need to clear it at all?

Solar.com advises waiting for warmer, sunny weather if you can. Some light passes through snow, heat from the building warms roof panels from underneath, and the page says a couple of inches of snow on a bright day that stays freezing can melt off on its own. Panels also run warmer than the air around them, which helps snow slide off, a process it calls sluffing. Clearing is worth considering when snow stays for days on a panel that is carrying a load you rely on, and when you can reach it from the ground. Lost harvest in short winter days is rarely worth a fall or a cracked panel. Our maintenance tools guide covers year-round cleaning.

Portable and folding panels

A folding panel is the easy case. Bring it indoors or onto a porch, knock the snow off gently, and let it dry before you fold it. Do not bang the frame, and do not fold wet cables into the case. If you set it up outside, tilt it as steeply as the stand allows and angle it toward the low sun, so snow slides off sooner. Our folding versus rollable panels guide covers the care differences, and the weatherproofing guide covers rain and wind.

Shed and ground-mount panels

Panels you can reach from the ground are the realistic cases. Use something soft with no hard edges. Solar.com says to use a soft cloth brush if you must clear panels, and it discourages brushes and shovels on or near the array because they can dislodge wiring connections. Read that as a warning to keep tools away from cables, connectors and junction boxes. Check the panel maker's care guide first, since some makers limit what you may use on the glass, and an approved method protects your warranty. Skip metal scrapers, hard plastic shovels and ice picks. Do not pour hot water on cold glass or chip at ice. If ice has formed, wait for it to loosen.

If you decide to clear a shed or ground-mount array, plan the job before you start. Check the forecast, pick a time when the snow is loose and light, and work from the side where your footing is solid. Clear from the top edge down so you are not pulling snow across wiring. Stop if the surface is icy or if you feel you have to lean or stretch. Take breaks, since cold hands drop tools.

What to avoid, in short

• Walking on panels. Solar.com says not to, and panel glass and cells are not meant to carry a person.
• Hard tools. Scrapers and shovels can scratch glass and snag wiring.
• Roof work in winter. If you must be on a roof, Solar.com says to use a harness or fall arrestor. Most people should hire a professional instead.
• Standing where the snow will slide. Snow can drop in sheets, particularly on steep or metal roofs. Move people and anything you do not want buried out of the way.
• Touching wiring or connections. Panels make voltage whenever light hits them, even through a thin layer. If anything looks damaged, stop and call a qualified electrician.

Ladders, falls and when to hire someone

Falls are a recognized hazard with their own guidance. OSHA's fall protection page is written for employers, but it lists a ladder safety publication titled Falling Off Ladders Can Kill: Use Them Safely, which is worth reading before you put a ladder near snow and ice. As a rule, if you have to leave the ground to reach the panels, do not clear them yourself. Hire a professional who has the equipment, and tell them the system layout first. Also avoid clearing a roof array if there is ice on the surface you would stand on.

After the snow is gone

Once the panels are clear, take a few minutes to check them. Look for scratches on the glass, cracks in the frame, loose clamps and cables that have shifted. Check that connectors are still seated and that no cable is rubbing against an edge. If output looks lower than usual on a clear day, compare it with your recorded readings from before winter. A lower number can mean damage, a connector problem or snow still hiding a corner of the array. If you find anything damaged, switch the system off as the manual directs and call a qualified person.

Prevent the next pile-up

Where snow lands in a pile under a mount, it can bury a lower panel edge and shade cells. Leave clearance below the array, keep the area beneath free for sliding snow, and check mounts and clamps after heavy loads. Panel manuals list a mechanical load rating, so read it if your area gets deep snow. The mount comparison explains tilt options, and the pre-freeze checklist helps you prepare the whole system. After clearing, look over the cables and connectors for damage. If the panels connect to a controller that has a Voc limit, remember that cold panels make more voltage, as the winter Voc guide explains.