It is the start of sunny days, and you know what it means? Well, aside from it is time to go to the beach, it is also the perfect season to clean your solar panels if you live in the Bay Area. This task may be exhausting and dangerous, so you can call an expert to do it for you. If you have lots of time and energy to do it, then you can always do it. Don’t worry because we will be giving you a complete guide on solar panel cleaning. Disclaimer: this is not an easy job, especially for individuals who have underlying conditions.
Cleanig your solar panels helps you harness the sun’s energy and make the most of the options for clean energy. The function of a solar panel is to collect the sun’s rays and convert them into energy. If there is more light, it means it has more power to generate.
It is beneficial to clean them periodically to get the most productivity out of your solar panels and prolong their service life. Solar panel cleaning can be a tough job, but it is worth it.
How To Clean Your Solar Panels?
If you decide that you need to clean your solar panels, there are two main ways to do so. You either hire a professional or you do it on your own. Many solar companies are going to offer you this type of service at a fee, of course. They could offer it as part of annual maintenance service or suggest that when they come to install the product, you get it done every so often. Hiring someone to clean your panels may be costly.
However, note that the energy quality benefit you get from clean panels returns whatever money you spend in cleaning. When you are concerned about climbing too high on your roof, there are extension rods available for cleaning up.
On the other hand, if you were willing to do everything yourself, you should usually have everything you need to do at home. It will involve, in most instances, nothing more than a hose, maybe some soap, and you’re good to go. If you choose to it yourself, here are the things that you, at least, have to do.
- Review cleaning instructions from the manufacturer. If no instructions were given when you purchased your panels, please check online or directly contact the manufacturer. It is essential to ensure there are no special cleaning instructions or warnings.
- Keep in mind that the panels may be hot, so try to clean them in the morning or later in the evening. Cooler days tend to make the panels fresher. Nevertheless, that isn’t necessarily the case, because they draw the light.
- Use your garden hose to sprinkle the panels down. It’s enough in some cases to make the panels clean, but sometimes you will need to do a more thorough cleanup.
- Fill a bucket with water, soapy water, or solar panel cleaning solution. Using a fluffy towel or sponge and use the soap solution to clean them off and then rinse with the water streams.
There are ways to decide if your solar panels require cleaning. Another is the direct analysis of the garbage, soil, bird droppings, and sheets. The other way around is to use a monitoring system that alerts you to how well your solar panels are working and performing. It will warn you of any maintenance specifications for your device, whether mechanical, electrical, or clean.
Do You Have Need To Clean Your Solar Panels?
Your warranty is covered by washing the panels and ensuring they stay in good working order. There are some manufacturers of solar power that need ongoing cleaning to fulfill the guarantee. Unless a homeowner can show evidence of their warranty being regularly cleaned, they might be voided.
Cleaning solar panels can also improve their efficiency. Any producers and consumers of solar panels record a 30 percent or more performance boost after washing. Before and after cleaning, keeping track of your energy output is a good idea, because that alone can be enough motivation to clean your panels.
Cleaning up your solar cells ultimately extends their lives. Cleaning solar panels is a perfect chance to look the panels over to make sure they’re in decent order. Keeping them clean often means that they survive as long as possible — 20 to 25 years in certain situations.
Companies that can clean up the solar panels for you and more people are opting for this because they don’t want the burden and inconvenience of cleaning them up. Not to mention that it can be a risky task to get your solar panels up onto your roof.
How Often Should You Clean Solar Panels?
Checking your solar panels regularly is a good idea, mainly if it’s been a while since you cleaned them up. You can wash your solar panels annually. However, most manufacturers recommend cleaning twice a year, at least. It tends to increase the efficiency of 3 to 5 percent.
If you live in areas where it has less rain, then you want to do the solar panel cleaning at least thrice every year. Moreover, frequent washing is essential if you live near an airport, freeway, and factories since the solar panels are more exposed to pollution.
In addition, whether the solar panels are prone to fallen leaves and litter, or if it snows, you’ll want to keep an eye on it. Cleaning your panels at the end of winter is a good idea if you have not cleaned them because of the cold weather. It washes away the remnants of snow and leaves from fall.
One of the better ways to determine when your panels need to be cleaned is to keep an eye on your strength. If you note a drop in the output, it can imply that your solar panels require a cleaning procedure. If you let your solar panels dirty in the long-term, it cost you money and may jeopardize the lifespan of your panels. It’s better to ensure the safety and efficiency side when it comes to cleaning solar panels.
Is It Worthy To Clean Your Solar Panels?
It depends on how you see it would help you. Some people would say no, especially when hiring a professional company to do it. On the other hand, some people think that it is worth cleaning their solar panels, especially when we talk about efficiency. If your solar panels get dirty, expect an output change of 5 percent or less. Moreover, most solar panels are angled to a sufficiently high degree to enable most buildup to run straight off the ground, instead of sticking to the surface. You might even have a slight increase in the lowest panel with inclined panels.
Frequently Asked Questions
Solar panels are useful, especially during power interruptions. Whether you use it often or not, you have to maintain it to ensure its quality and performance. So, to know more about solar panel cleaning, let us answer a few frequently asked questions.
Won’t the rain clean your panels?
Several people assume that when it rains, their solar cells will clean themselves naturally. Unfortunately, this is not the case, much like your vehicle or house windows. Have you ever seen your car during a rainstorm in the days following? It may seem a little better at first, but then it’s likely to have a video on it. It relates primarily to windshields. Rainwater isn’t pure water, so the solar panels should scrub all the pollutants it leaves behind.
What is the best way to clean my solar panels?
A hose and a bucket of soapy water are the most efficient way to clean the solar panels. It is just like washing your car, except that it is bigger and broader. Most of all, it is in high places. Since you don’t want to scratch the panels in any way, it’s best to apply soapy water with just water and a non-abrasive sponge.
Does cleaning solar panels make a difference?
The most significant difference that is cleaning solar panels that it can make is making sure of its quality and efficiency throughout time. Dirt and debris may limit its capacity. Hence, solar panel cleaning is essential. Moreover, although people may not see it, making sure that your panels clean to make it look good. Finally, doing regular cleaning of it allows you to check its mechanism.
Conclusion
Don’t let the rain do the clean up for your solar panel. Monitor the functionality of your system by paying attention to the energy bills and month-to-month usage. It’s, perhaps, time to think about cleaning or some other type of maintenance if you start noticing shifts in your electric bill. If you believe that it increases in your energy bill might be because you need cleaning of the solar panel, make sure to consult from a solar panel expert. It could be dirty, full of debris, or something electrical that needs to be fixed rather than just cleaned.