Leyte and Biliran sit in the path of typhoons, and many families here remember Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013. A solar system on your roof has to be designed with that in mind. Done properly, the mounting is a small part of the total cost. Done badly, a loose panel becomes dangerous debris.
What a typhoon-ready installation looks like
- The roof is checked first. Panels add weight and wind uplift. The rafters or purlins must be able to carry the load, and old or corroded roofing should be repaired before installation.
- Rails are fastened into the roof structure, not only into the roofing sheet.
- Hardware is corrosion-resistant. This matters near the coast, where salt air eats cheap bolts and clamps.
- The layout keeps clear of roof edges and ridges, where wind forces are strongest.
- The inverter, batteries and main disconnects are protected from rain and placed above likely flood levels.
- The installer documents the mounting system and the wind and load ratings from the manufacturers’ datasheets.
Before a typhoon
- Never go up on the roof once the wind picks up.
- If your installer gave you a shutdown procedure, follow it. It usually means switching off the AC and DC isolators in a set order.
- Clear loose items around the system that could be blown into it.
- Take photos of the system for your insurance and warranty records.
- If you have a hybrid system, make sure the batteries are fully charged before the storm arrives.
After a typhoon
- Treat damaged panels and cables as live. Panels produce voltage whenever there is daylight, even with the system switched off. Keep children away.
- Don’t switch a system back on if it may be water-damaged or has visibly damaged wiring. Have it inspected first.
- Look for loose rails, cracked panels, and water around the inverter and batteries.
- Contact your installer, and your insurer if you have one, before any repairs are made.
Questions to ask your installer
- How will the rails be fastened, and into which part of my roof?
- What hardware do you use, and is it suitable for coastal conditions?
- What wind ratings do the panels and mounting system have, according to the manufacturers?
- What is the shutdown procedure before a storm?
- Do you offer post-typhoon inspections, and what do they cost?
If brownouts after storms are your main worry, read grid-tie vs hybrid as well. Only a system with batteries keeps running while the grid is down.