If there’s pollution, dust, pollen, or sea salt in the air, eventually (and certainly), your panels will be full of them. And what gets in the way of your panels is bound to hinder your electricity savings. Whether you’re a seasoned weekend warrior wanting to optimize your system’s return on investment or you’re playing it safe by hiring a professional, regular cleaning of your panels is of utmost importance. Without regular cleaning, your system’s performance will gradually decline due to the layer of dirt blocking the panels.
Discover the main reasons why you should keep your solar panels in perfect condition and free of debris!
Improve the Overall Energy Efficiency
Cleaning your panels will undoubtedly increase their overall efficiency. According to many statistical observations, this efficiency and performance improvement can be dramatic, up to 21% in residential arrays, and up to 60% in commercial installations. So it’s the best way to ensure that your panels are prepped for maximum efficiency. Regular cleaning can make a huge difference!
Better Durability
Our environment is filled with grains of soft sand, dust particles, and debris that eventually accumulate and ultimately cause your panel to deteriorate (if not adequately washed). As a result, the effectiveness of your solar panel will diminish over time, and you may end up with equipment that breaks down much sooner.
Get Rid of Bird Poop
By way of their positioning, solar panels are exposed to the risk of bird droppings. And, despite what you may think, the droppings don’t wash away naturally from rain. This will decrease the amount of light reaching the solar cells, thus diminishing the overall output of energy generation and adversely affect the panels’ ability to meet projected performance.
Prevent Dust and Dirt Buildup
Due to their positioning, solar panels are prone to bird poo. And, no, unfortunately, droppings are not naturally washed away by rain. As such, the amount of light reaching the solar cells is reduced, decreasing the overall efficiency of energy production and negatively affecting the panels’ ability to achieve their intended performance.
Aesthetic Appeal
Who wants an aged-looking, dirt-covered panel adorning their rooftop? NOBODY! Similar to how important it is to make your home sparkling clean, it’s also essential to take proper care of your solar panels and tidy them up regularly. This kind of proper maintenance will make your home more beautiful to you and your visitors.
Inspection
Cleaning your solar panels gives you the chance to inspect and evaluate their conditions too thoroughly. Besides, regular checkups can save you from having to deal with costly repairs down the road!
Benefit from Your Warranty
Many solar panel installation companies and manufacturers have specified regular cleaning as a warranty condition. You may not be covered by the warranty if there’s no proof of regular cleaning. That’s why regular cleaning is recommended if you want to be on the safe side if there is a malfunction at some point.
No! Rain Won’t Get The Job Done!
We all assume that rain washes all the dirt from our solar panels – this is not the case. Unfortunately, rain cannot clean bird droppings and soot from your panels! That’s why just like your car’s windshield needs to be washed more often during the rainy season, your solar panels also need to be cleaned more frequently. Therefore, don’t rely on rainwater to get the job done because it simply won’t happen!
Don’t attempt to wash your panels yourself if it puts you at risk of a fall. Many solar systems are mounted low enough that cleaning or snow removal is possible from the ground using a long-handled broom or snow rake. You’ll want to verify that using such tools won’t void your warranty, however.
For panels mounted higher—or for arrays with warranties limiting broom or rake use—the solar installer will likely have a solar panel cleaning service to recommend. Hiring professionals like QUALITY WINDOW WASHERS LLC can help ensure that your panels receive a thorough cleaning and won’t be damaged in the process.
