While Texas typically enjoys a pleasant climate all year round, there are times when temperatures dip and homeowners interested in investing in solar panels, may be wondering whether these times will affect the output of the system.

It’s important to understand that while solar panels do work at their best when receiving direct sunlight, this doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with falling temperatures.

If you’re a Texan resident and haven’t yet invested in clean, green, utility reducing solar power, here are a few reasons why you should, even if temperatures drop:

Solar panels are still effective in cold weather

Did you know that the photovoltaic technology within solar panels actually converts sunlight into power more effectively when temperatures drop? Because of this, solar panels can actually work better during the winter than they do in the warmer months. Another bonus is that solar panels are often cheaper to buy during the winter, since less homeowners are thinking about buying them at these times of the year.

Snow can actually help your panels perform

Thanks to the fact that snow reflects light very nicely, provided your solar panels have been positioned to absorb as much of the sun’s rays throughout the day as possible, even a light covering of snow on the panels won’t have much of an impact on their productivity.

If your solar panels have become covered in snow and you’re concerned that it isn’t melting quickly enough due to a lack of sunlight, you can try gently removing it with a soft brush or cloth; anything more abrasive could damage the panels. If you’re not comfortable cleaning the snow off yourself, however, particularly if the panels are on your roof, you can contact the company that installed them and ask for their assistance.

Shorter days won’t significantly affect a solar panels performance

While daylight savings will mean that your solar panels receive less light exposure and won’t be as efficient during those periods, the amount of light they’ll have been exposed to throughout the preceding days, weeks and months, will mean that you shouldn’t notice a drop in their productivity.

Purchasing solar panels during winter may not be at the forefront of your mind as you reach for a snug blanket and a mug of hot cocoa, but it can actually be a great time to invest in them. To discover how a solar system could start giving you clean energy even as temperatures drop, schedule a consultation with a local solar panel provider.