The question of how often to clean your solar panels has probably been nagging at the back of your mind if you’ve had solar panels installed in your home. Within the first year of installation, you will need to regularly clean your solar panels because clean panels are more effective and will give you the best return on your investment.
The frequency of solar panel cleaning will be discussed in more detail below.
Why Do Solar Panels Need to be Cleaned?
A Clean Solar Panel is An Efficient Solar Panel
Additionally, since a panel can produce more power the more efficient it is, keeping things clean here is equivalent to saving money. In order to ensure that the investment you made in purchasing solar panels doesn’t go to waste, it is crucial to know how to properly clean them. Or perhaps more pertinently, the investment should be repaid as quickly as possible.
Through solar panels, solar energy is transformed into electricity. Thus, light is converted into cash in a very real sense. The more light the panel can absorb, the more money you can save. It’s crucial that the outer glass layer of your panel doesn’t become obstructed with debris, grime, or waste because light can be easily blocked. There are numerous factors that could decrease the effectiveness of your panel, including bird droppings, dust, and moss development. To help with this, don’t forget to look into pigeon-proofing solar panels.
Maintaining the cleanliness of your solar panels is crucial when you consider that even the best solar panels are only 20% efficient, which means that 80% of the light that enters the system is lost. Since the panels’ efficiency may decline over the course of their 25-year warranty, maintaining cleanliness actually becomes more crucial over time.
Cleaning Gives You a Chance to Inspect the Panels
You can get a better look at everything when you clean those panels frequently, which is another reason to do so. Performing a visual inspection can be extremely helpful because you might find something that would have otherwise gone unnoticed and gotten worse over time. After all, the fact that you can’t easily check on solar panels every day is one of their drawbacks.
For instance, a leak that drips onto a region of the panel could be vulnerable. Alternatively, tree and shrub growth might block your sunlight but which you might not have noticed from ground level. Another benefit is having the opportunity to quickly inspect your roof while you are searching.
Cleaning Can Cut Your Energy Bills, Or Make You Money
The solar panels that Google uses are a fantastic, large-scale example. This array was set up to produce a whopping 1.6MW of solar energy. Before month 15, it had not been cleaned since its installation. The power production doubled overnight once that was completed. The next time they were left unattended, it was only for eight months, a vast difference. Nevertheless, the power output increased by a staggering 36% when it was cleaned this time. In fact, Google claims that cleaning these panels is the best way to increase the amount of energy they can produce.’
How Often Should You Clean Solar Panels?
Cleaning after eight months and 15 months made a significant difference in the Google example above. However, this was on a large array rather than on raised roofing. The Eco Experts’ advice to clean your panels once a year is likely to be most effective in practice.
Although it is worthwhile to keep an eye on the panels and possibly inspect them more frequently, once a year should be sufficient for the actual cleaning. Having said that, it also depends on where you live. Consider spending time learning how to clean solar panels every six months if you live in an area with a lot of dust and grime, like a built-up area. Furthermore, it’s worth cleaning up any bird droppings that are causing a significant obstruction on your panels as soon as you notice them. The position also has an impact on solar panel cleaning. After all, it’s more likely that solar panels for sheds will need to be cleared of leaves or ongoing vegetation.
Monitor your power usage frequently, ideally monthly. Conduct an inspection, i.e., examine the panels, if this starts to drop. It is worthwhile getting your cleaning supplies—a sponge and a pole—out if they appear to have anything on them.
Is Rain Enough to Clean Solar Panels?
According to the National Renewal Energy Laboratory, Southern California and other dry climates require much more frequent cleaning of solar panels. Rain has the tendency to wash away a lot of the undesirable debris that was patiently waiting to devour the sunlight that was traveling toward your solar panels.
The natural cleaning power of rain on solar panels is not common in Southern California. Bird droppings, airborne dirt, pollen, and pollution particles fall out and mix with dew to form grime and slime, which prevents the solar array from operating at its maximum efficiency. Your investment’s return is decreased by dirty panels. Up to 30% of losses have been recorded.
Rain, however, is not the cure-all for cleaning solar panels because rain still contains within it “airborne dust particles” that will still leave a layer of dust on the panels. Therefore, even though rain may wash away the old dust from the panels, it also spreads new, unclean particles.
Why Professional Solar Cleaning is the Most Ideal Option
As of January 2022, Australia had more than 3 million solar power systems installed on rooftops. According to the Clean Energy Council, the small-scale solar industry increased its capacity by 3.3 GW in 2021.
Upkeep of solar panels is typically done by homeowners themselves. When using this method, be sure to adhere to safety precautions to ensure a secure gutter and solar cleaning. Read this article to find out more about the effective and secure cleaning of solar panels.
Although many homeowners prefer to DIY and stick to a strict budget, solar panel cleaning services offer a professional service while adhering to industry safety standards. It’s not as easy as it seems to clean panels.
How to Clean Solar Panels at Home?
In summary, here are the basic steps to cleaning your solar panels:
1. Review the terms and conditions of your solar system and panel warranty first to comprehend any cleaning requirements. As previously mentioned, if you are leasing your system, your solar provider might carry out this maintenance as part of your warranty. Before cleaning, ask your solar provider any questions you may have.
2. Keep your feet on the ground or hire a cleaner to do it for you.
3. Whenever the panels are cool, in the early morning or late at night, clean them. Water and soap can quickly evaporate in a hot environment, leaving smears and streaks behind.
4. Using softened, distilled, or deionized non-heated water, you can easily clean a module’s glass surface. Although pressurized water up to 1500 psi may be used with caution, normal water pressure is sufficient.
5. A high-pressure water nozzle should never be used too close to the panels. Even though they are incredibly resilient, you don’t want to take a chance at any potential harm.
6. If necessary, use a 3% soap-and-water solution along with over-the-counter glass cleaners to get rid of stubborn fingerprints, stains, or clumps of dirt on the glass.
• For smaller systems, spray the module glass with the cleaning solution, let it sit for five minutes, and then rinse. Then re-wet them, and wipe the glass surface in a circular motion with a soft sponge or seamless cloth.
• If you’re working with larger systems, wet the module glass with the cleaning solution and let it sit for five minutes. Then, give them a soft squeegee or high-pressure water rinse.
7. Repeat annually, twice, or as often as required.
8. That’s all there is to it, and if you’re still considering purchasing a solar system, check out our solar calculator to see how much clean energy you’ll generate and the money you’ll save with SunPower’s all-in-one home solar system.
Solar Power Equipment and Maintenance
Solar panel equipment tools like an extendool, rotary solar brushes, and a water hose can always be used to complete the task. These tools can be utilized while you are still on the ground. To complete the task, however, sometimes climbing to the roof is required. To achieve the best results, we also advise using a particular solar panel cleaning solution.
Safety measures are obviously necessary when tackling this challenging cleaning task. Always use safety gear, such as a safety harness, to prevent you from falling to the ground; this is a technique employed by experts in the field of cleaning. When performing this task, don’t forget to wear a hard hat. When cleaning solar panels by yourself, always bear in mind these suggestions.
Safety Tips for DIYers Solar Panel Cleaning
In this instance, using professional cleaners may not be necessary because rain frequently aids in removing general dust. However, residing in a high-pollution area may bring additional dirt and debris, making a garden hose necessary to effectively clean your panels.
Always take safety precautions if there is too much obstinate grime on the array and you need to climb up on your roof. When cleaning on a regular basis, wear the proper safety gear, such as a hard hat and safety harness.
To effectively remove grime from solar panels, use a clean sponge and mild detergent. If your panels need extensive maintenance, it is always best to leave the job to the experts.
Final Thought: Clean Regularly
If necessary, climb a roof to remove sticky bird droppings, pollen, and dirt. and other debris, it’s always best to leave that work to professional solar service companies.