Solar in Nova Scotia's Coastal Climate

Salt air doesn't care how long your panels are warrantied for. If the racking, fasteners, or frame coatings aren't suited to marine exposure, the hardware underneath your panels can corrode long before the panels themselves wear out.

What actually fails near the ocean

Three components carry the corrosion risk:

• Mounting hardware: plain galvanized steel can corrode quickly in salt fog, which is why coastal installs usually call for stainless fasteners and aluminum rails.
• Panel frames: look for anodized aluminum suited to coastal exposure. Unprotected frames can pit and discolour in salt air.
• Junction boxes & cable glands: salt air is hard on seals, so the ingress-protection (IP) rating of connectors and junction boxes matters more on the coast.

What we look at on the coast

On a coastal address, salt exposure is part of the site review before we quote, along with roof condition, wind, and snow. Corrosion-resistant hardware adds some cost, and how much depends on the system and the site.

Annual maintenance you actually need

Inland systems: rain usually does the job. Coastal systems close to the ocean can benefit from an occasional freshwater rinse to remove salt deposits: same idea as washing a car after a winter drive on salted roads. You can do it with a hose.

Questions to ask any installer

If you're comparing quotes from multiple installers, ask each:

• What grade of fasteners do you use on coastal homes?
• Are the panel frames anodized for coastal exposure?
• What's the IP rating on every junction box and connector?

If they can't answer specifically, that's your answer.