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A photovoltaic array produces direct current whenever light reaches it, so it can't be switched off like an ordinary household circuit, and even a damaged panel can be live. Diagnosing and repairing the electrical side belongs to a licensed electrical contractor with solar experience, and roof work around the array to people equipped to work at height. This page covers the warning signs, the common faults, how troubleshooting works, removing panels for a new roof, warranties, winter damage and the rules on who can do the work.
Signs your solar system is underperforming: monitoring alerts, inverter errors and zero-output days
- The monitoring app or portal sends a fault or communication alert, or the production figures stop updating altogether.
- The inverter display shows an error code or warning light, or the unit sits dark and silent on a sunny day.
- Panel-level monitoring shows one panel or string producing far less than its neighbours, a pattern that points to a module, connector or optimizer.
- Output on clear days is clearly lower than in the same season last year, with no new trees or buildings to explain it.
- Net metering credits shrink or the bill rises even though your household uses about the same amount of electricity.
- The solar breaker keeps tripping, or you notice a burning smell or buzzing near the inverter or disconnect, which calls for an electrician right away and hands off in the meantime.
Common solar panel problems: inverter faults, damaged wiring, cracked modules and animals under the array
- A central inverter is a common reason a whole system goes quiet: it may trip on a grid disturbance and restart on its own, or fail and need repair or replacement.
- Microinverters and optimizers mounted behind individual panels fail one at a time, which shows up as a single dead panel in the monitoring.
- Connectors and cables can loosen, corrode or be chewed, causing intermittent output or a ground or arc fault that the inverter flags and shuts down for.
- Hail, falling branches or sliding ice can crack the glass or the cells beneath it, cutting output and letting moisture into the module.
- Squirrels, raccoons and birds nest in the sheltered gap under the panels, chewing wires and piling up debris that holds moisture against the roof.
- Monitoring equipment can lose its internet connection after a router change, so the system keeps producing but stops reporting.
How solar troubleshooting works: from monitoring data to the roof
A good technician starts with the data before climbing anything. Monitoring history usually shows whether the whole system, one string or one panel is affected and when the drop began, and most inverters keep a log of fault codes that narrows down the cause. Mention any recent storm, power outage, roof work or router change when you call.
- On site, the electrician checks the breakers, disconnects and inverter, then tests each string before anyone goes up on the roof.
- The array is inspected, from a ladder or with a drone where possible, for cracked glass, loose racking, chewed wiring and nests.
- Repairs follow: reseating or replacing connectors, swapping a failed module, microinverter or optimizer for a compatible part, or repairing or replacing the central inverter.
- Where animals are the problem, a mesh guard clipped around the edges of the array keeps them from coming back once nests are cleared.
- Final testing confirms that every string is producing and the monitoring is reporting again, and the electrical work is documented as your province requires.
Who can repair solar panels: licensed electrical contractors, ESA notification and CMEQ members
Solar repairs are electrical work on grid-connected equipment, and the usual rules apply. In Ontario, ESA states that anyone you hire to do electrical work in your home must, by law, be a Licensed Electrical Contractor, and that almost all electrical work, including repairing or replacing existing equipment, must be reported with a notification of work. Once the work passes, ESA issues a Certificate of Acceptance, a document worth keeping for insurance and resale.
In Quebec, electrical work done for others is reserved for contractors licensed through the CMEQ, and Hydro-Québec warns never to connect self-generation equipment yourself, because a non-compliant installation can cause a fire, serious injury or death. Before a technician replaces an inverter or adds panels or batteries, ask whether the utility needs to review the change, since the connection was approved for the original equipment.
Repair or replace: inverters, damaged panels and taking the array off for a new roof
An inverter that fails after its warranty can sometimes be repaired, but replacement is often the practical choice, and the new unit has to suit the array's electrical characteristics and the utility's connection requirements. A cracked module is usually replaced with the closest compatible match, since exact models go out of production; a poorly matched panel can hold back the whole string, so the technician checks the specifications before ordering.
Roof repairs and reroofing are where many solar problems begin. The racking is fastened through the roofing into the structure, so a roofer can't simply work around it: a qualified solar or electrical contractor disconnects and removes the array, stores it safely, then reinstalls it with new flashing at every attachment, reconnects it and tests it. Coordinate both trades before the tear-off, agree in writing who answers for leaks at the mounts, and check how removal affects your warranties.
Solar panel warranties: product, performance, inverter and workmanship coverage
A solar system usually comes with several separate warranties: the panel maker's product warranty against defects, a performance warranty promising that output won't decline faster than a stated rate, the inverter maker's warranty and the installer's workmanship warranty on wiring, mounts and roof penetrations. Their lengths and conditions differ, so find the documents before you pay for a repair.
- Repairs by unlicensed or unauthorized people, or panels removed by someone other than a qualified contractor, can void coverage.
- Performance claims usually need evidence, so keep your monitoring data and note the date the problem started.
- If the original installer has closed, the manufacturers' warranties may still apply, though labour may not be included.
- Storm or hail damage to the array may fall under home insurance instead; call your insurer and photograph the damage from the ground.
Snow, ice and winter damage to solar panels
Snow covering the panels is the most visible winter issue and usually the least worrying: production pauses until it slides or melts off, at a time of year when output is modest anyway. What deserves a call is the damage winter can leave behind, and a sunny stretch after a thaw is a good moment to check that production has come back.
- Output that stays flat on bright days once the panels are clear of snow.
- Ice dams forming at the eaves below the array, or water stains on ceilings under it.
- Snow sliding off in sheets that bends gutters, blocks a vent or buries the gas meter.
- Racking, rails or wire management that looks shifted or loose after a heavy snow load.
Solar Panel Repair: frequently asked questions
Why did my solar panels stop working after a power outage?
A grid-tied inverter shuts down during an outage by design and normally restarts on its own once utility power is back and stable. If yours stays off, follow the restart steps in the owner's manual and, if it still won't come back, call an electrician rather than opening any equipment.
Can I repair or clean my solar panels myself?
Keep your role to watching the monitoring and looking at the array from the ground. Panels produce electricity whenever light hits them, connectors and junction boxes can be live, and the work happens on a roof. Repairs belong to a licensed electrical contractor, and cleaning to a professional.
Does a broken solar system affect my net metering credits?
Yes. Every week the system is down, especially in spring and summer, is production that won't be credited. Ontario lets unused credits carry over for up to 12 months, and Hydro-Québec's surplus bank resets every 24 months, so lost summer output can't be made up later.
How do I stop squirrels from nesting under my solar panels?
Have the nests cleared and any chewed wiring repaired first, then have a mesh guard fitted around the edges of the array. Choose a crew that works safely at height and doesn't drill into the modules or racking to attach it.
Sources
- Electrical Safety Authority: What you need to know about electrical work
- Electrical Safety Authority: Hiring a Licensed Electrical Contractor when installing solar panels
- CMEQ: A licence is mandatory
- Hydro-Québec: Connection of self-generation equipment
- Government of Ontario: Save on your energy bill with net metering
- Hydro-Québec: Net Metering Option I for Rate D, DM or DP customer-generators
Written by the LokalMatch editorial team. Reviewed by Zubair Afzal on September 10, 2026. How we write and check our guides