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Just adding from an experience researching solar for a condo development - if you want the fire department to try to save your house, you need to be able to cut
by beezle 5y ago
Just adding from an experience researching solar for a condo development - if you want the fire department to try to save your house, you need to be able to cut the panels off, grid connection or not.
Likewise, putting panels on both sides of the roof makes it difficult, if not impossible, to vent a fire through the roof. The figures are ever changing, but the additional weight of many panels can also be a consideration when fighting a fire.
Really urge anyone considering adding solar panels on their home to speak with their local fire/ems prior to installation/signing a contract to be sure you know their requirements (and in many places this is still evolving).
- darknavi 5y agoI am not familiar with house fires or how to fight them. > putting panels on both sides of the roof makes it difficult, if not impossible, to vent a fire through the roof. If a fire is bad enough to need to be vented from a hole in the roof, wouldn't the building likely be lost already?
- reaperducer 5y agoEven if the building is lost, the firefighters still want to put it out to keep it from spreading. A few weeks ago, the Mount Charleston Lodge in Las Vegas burned to the ground. Firefighters put most of their effort into saving the surrounding national forest.
- Cerium 5y agoNot in my experience. There was a fire in the third floor unit of a building I was living in (one floor up and one unit over). It was a three floor building, so that was a roof unit. The firefighters cut vent holes and were able to contain the damage to that unit.
- stickfigure 5y agoIf you're building condos, you aren't in a rural area. In my rural area, everyone ground mounts because space is cheap. I'm a volunteer firefighter and so far none of the trainings have mentioned solar (venting roofs yes). But then, we joke that we'll arrive just in time to put out your foundation.
- xattt 5y agoIsn’t the new NEC including a provision for a cutoff switch at the meter?
- quickthrowman 5y agoYes, that was added in NEC 2020. Whole-house disconnect just after the meter, on the exterior of a residence.