Solar services

Solar panel hail damage repair

What to do in the first days after hail, what a damaged module looks like, and how the insurance claim and the repair fit together.

Updated September 3, 2026

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Written by HyreSolar Research Desk Primary-source research and fact checking

The short answer

Hail can crack the glass of a solar panel or cause microcracks in the cells you cannot see. Do not climb onto the roof. Photograph from the ground, check production in your monitoring against the days before, and call your insurer. A contractor then tests the array, replaces the damaged modules, and re-commissions it.

After a hailstorm

Stay off the roof

Cracked panels can still be energized in daylight.

Data is evidence

A drop in production after the storm supports the claim.

Matching modules is the hard part

The exact model may no longer be made.

What hail damage looks like

Shattered glass is obvious from the ground. Microcracks are not: they show up as lower output, hot spots or, under electroluminescence imaging, as dark lines in the cells. A contractor can test strings and use thermal imaging to find them.

Check the rest of the roof too. The hail that hit the panels hit the roof covering, flashing and gutters.

Insurance and the repair

Homeowners policies commonly treat a roof-mounted system as part of the dwelling, but coverage and deductibles vary. Read our guide to storm damage and solar insurance before the adjuster visits.

Product warranties typically do not cover impact damage. If the module is discontinued, the repair may need a compatible substitute, which can affect a whole string’s electrical match.

From storm to repaired array

Make safe

Stay off the roof. If glass is broken or wiring is exposed, shut the system down at the inverter and disconnect.

Document

Ground-level photos, monitoring screenshots for days before and after.

Notify your insurer

Within the policy’s notice period.

Inspection and testing

String tests, thermal imaging, roof inspection under the array.

Source replacement modules

Same model, or an electrically compatible substitute.

Replace and re-commission

Then confirm output recovers against history.

What sets the size of a hail repair

Most of the cost is labor and matching, not glass.

Factor	Effect on a solar Panel Hail Damage Repair quote
Number of damaged modules	Including those with hidden microcracks.
Module availability	A discontinued model may force a string redesign.
Roof damage under the array	Panels may need removing for a roof repair.
Testing scope	Thermal or EL imaging adds cost and finds hidden damage.
Insurance deductible	Sets what you pay out of pocket.

Repair and removal prices: solar repair costs and removal and reinstall costs.

Questions for a hail repair contractor

How will you test for damage that is not visible?

Can you get the same module, and if not, how will you match the string?

Will you inspect the roof under the array?

Will you provide a written report for my insurer?

Who warrants the work afterwards?

Your inquiry

Tell us about your home

Nothing goes to a solar professional unless you agree.

Free, with no obligation: a person reads it and gets back to you. Matching is not live yet, so this is not a quote.

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If you have done your research and want to speak with a solar professional, HyreSolar can help you explore available options.

Questions

Are solar panels hail resistant?

Panels use tempered glass and are tested for impact, but large hail can still crack them, and cells can microcrack without visible glass damage. Production data is the best early sign.

Does homeowners insurance cover hail-damaged solar panels?

Often, when the system is attached to the house, but terms, deductibles and exclusions vary. Check your policy and notify the insurer promptly.

Can I keep using a hail-damaged system?

If glass is broken or wiring exposed, shut it down and keep off the roof until a contractor has checked it. Water reaching cells or wiring is a safety concern.

Written and audited by

HyreSolar Research

Primary-source research, data analysis and fact checking

We are a research desk, not a sales floor. We read the statute, the tariff, the code section, the federal filing or the manufacturer data sheet ourselves, and we publish the figure with the document it came from and the date we retrieved it.

Where a number cannot be traced to a primary source, we publish the shorter page and say what we could not verify. That rule has cost us whole sections, and it is why the rest can be checked.

160: primary sources read and cited
228: figures with a retrieval date
115: federal and state government sources
66: researched pages published

Authorship on this site is organizational: the analysis belongs to the desk rather than to a named individual, and we do not publish credentials we do not hold. Our editorial policy sets out how we source, date and correct what we publish.

Sources & retrieval dates

Hanwha Q CELLS Limited Warranty for Crystalline PV Modules (Q.PEAK DUO BLK-G10+/AC), Valid from 1 March 2022. Source for the labor exclusion and the exclusion for service by a party the manufacturer has not authorized. Retrieved 2 September 2026.

REC Alpha Series Limited Warranty, Rev 8 (Americas), February 2026. Source for the 25-year performance warranty with a 92% output floor at year 25. Retrieved 3 September 2026.

This page on solar Panel Hail Damage Repair is general and varies by location, utility tariff, building code, roof and your own circumstances. It is not tax, legal or engineering advice.

HyreSolar is an independent information site: we do not install, finance, service or inspect solar systems, and we do not supervise or warrant anyone who does.