Solar Storm Damage Assessment Calculator
Post-storm solar system inspection. Check off visible damage types — get a severity score, immediate safety actions, insurance claim eligibility, repair vs. replace recommendation, and estimated repair costs.
How to Use This Calculator
Select storm type and system age
The storm type determines expected damage patterns — hurricanes and tornadoes cause the widest range of damage including structural racking failure, while hail typically causes panel glass damage without racking issues, and snow loads tend to cause slow structural stress rather than acute electrical damage. System age is critical for the repair-vs-replace decision: older systems near the end of their warranty or performance guarantee period have a lower economic threshold for full replacement.
Check every visible damage item
Walk around your system and check each damage type that applies. Be specific — a dented frame is a different repair than broken glass. Inverter responsiveness can be checked without touching the system: look at the inverter LCD display or your monitoring app. If the inverter is showing error codes or is offline when it should be producing, check that box. The damage checklist drives both the severity score and the cost estimate range.
Read your damage assessment and next steps
The assessment gives you a severity score (1-10), immediate safety actions if electrical hazards are present, insurance claim eligibility guidance, repair vs. replace recommendation, and warranty coverage context. Print this report to share with your insurance adjuster — it documents the damage categories and expected cost ranges before a professional inspection.
The Formula
The severity score is not a repair cost — it's a prioritization tool. A score of 8+ means safety should be the first concern before economics. Scores of 5-7 mean significant damage requiring professional inspection within two weeks. Scores below 3 are typically cosmetic and can be addressed at your convenience. Always get a professional inspection before any repairs — even cosmetic damage can indicate hidden structural or electrical issues that visual inspection misses.
Example
Florida — Hurricane Cat 3 impact on 5-year-old system
Maria's 10 kW system was hit by a Category 3 hurricane. After the storm, she can see several panels with cracked frames, 2 panels have shifted in their racking, and conduit has separated from the wall. Her inverter monitoring app shows zero production.
Maria's action plan
- Immediately shut off the AC disconnect at the inverter — broken conduit means live wires may be exposed.
- Take photos of all visible damage before any cleanup — critical for insurance documentation.
- Call her homeowner's insurance company to open a claim — hurricane damage is typically covered under windstorm coverage.
- Contact her solar installer for emergency inspection — the installer documents damage and provides a repair estimate for the claim.
- Check manufacturer warranty — 5-year-old panels are within the 10-year product warranty; if damage is beyond normal wear, she can file a separate manufacturer claim alongside the insurance claim.
FAQ
Related Calculators
Embed This Calculator
Free to embed on your website. Just copy this code:
<iframe src="https://solarsizecalculator.com/solar-storm-damage-assessment-calculator"
width="100%" height="700" frameborder="0"
title="Solar Storm Damage Assessment Calculator"></iframe>