If you’ve had solar panels installed in your home, you may be wondering about how often you should clean them. Solar panel cleaning isn’t an exact science, but it’s worth following a schedule to ensure you get the best possible return on your solar investment. On average, you should clean your panels at least once every six months. However, the frequency will depend on your geographical location and the level of pollution due to dirt and dust.
Dirt, grime, and pollution can build up in your solar panels, so it’s vital to clean them regularly. Cleaning your panels at least twice a year to remove dirt, dust, and other grime will help keep your system clean and functioning at optimal levels. Some homeowners can do the cleaning themselves by following certain steps, however, hiring a professional solar panel cleaning service like Bailey Boys can be a better option. Our expert services can extend your solar panel’s lifespan and keep them generating at peak efficiency.
In this post, we’ll discuss the importance of cleaning panels and how often you should do so.
Should You Clean Your Solar Panels?
Many homeowners wonder if it’s necessary to clean their solar panels: the answer is YES. Like the other parts of your house, panels need periodic cleaning for maximum effectiveness. Regular cleaning ensures the sun’s rays can effectively pass through your panels and generate electricity well. Most importantly, cleaning prevents early damage to your panels, so you can maximize your ROI for the long term.
Some may rely on rainfall to clean the panels, but it’s not a complete solution. While rain can flush some unwanted residue, precipitation still contains airborne dust particles that can settle and create another layer of dirt on the panels. Moreover, rainfall isn’t frequent in Florida, especially from October to May. During this time, bird droppings, airborne particles, pollen, and pollution fall on the panels and mix with dew to create grime and slime. As a result, it reduces the ability of the solar array to perform at full capacity.
As we all know, solar companies provide a warranty, but it’s the owner’s responsibility to maintain the panels. As an owner, you must keep the system free of debris and obstruction to protect its longevity and performance. If you can’t hire professional cleaning services to handle the job for you, here are some effective recommendations:
- Regularly prune trees, so they don’t interfere with sunlight reaching your solar panels.
- Make it a habit to rinse your solar panels regularly, but avoid using abrasive chemicals.
- Do routine inspections to check and remove accumulations of leaves, debris, snow, or critters under your solar panels.
Why Regular Cleaning of Your Solar Panels Is a Must
When it comes to solar panels, you can’t afford to avoid cleaning them regularly. If grime has accumulated on their surface, a thin repelling layer will form on them. This layer will reflect sunlight, resulting in a decrease in performance. Therefore, periodical cleaning is highly recommended for those who want maximum power output from their system.
To give you some inspiration, here are the top reasons why you should clean your panels regularly.
Boost Efficiency
We all know that ignoring your solar panels will lead to poor performance. A proper photovoltaic (PV) installation, unobstructed by trees or other structures, allows all-day sunlight to reach your solar panels. Yet, even a small obstruction, like bird dropping or dirt smudges, can significantly affect the energy yield of your solar panels. How much more with dust and grime buildup? In addition, regular solar panel cleaning will eliminate residue that could interfere with long-term function.
Enhance Durability
When was the last time you cleaned those solar panels? Besides increasing the aesthetic value of your property, regular cleaning can help you get double the service life out of the system. Apart from cleaning, a trained eye can help ensure against unknown issues (like cracks and scratches) arising throughout the lifetime of your solar panel system. Overall, cleaning increases your return on investment as you don’t need to replace panels prematurely. Plus, you can ensure that the provider can honor the warranty in case of malfunctions.
How Often Do You Need To Clean Solar Panels?
If you have just installed solar panels on your roofs, you might be wondering how often you’ll need to clean them. The answer? It depends.
Solar panels collect dust and dirt over time. These panels can even get dirty now and then due to their exposure to external elements, such as dirt and bird droppings. You can’t just leave your panels dirty and expect them to work as effectively as they used to. To maintain their efficiency, you need to clean them regularly. The question is, how often should you do it?
Although it’s generally agreed upon that solar panel cleaning is typically once every six months, there are some instances where you might need to get them cleaned now and then.
The frequency of cleaning depends on several factors. For example, how dusty or dirty the air is in your area is an important factor. The more pollutants in the air, the more likely it is that dust and grime will settle on your panels before long. You need to arrange a solar cleaning service frequently. If there isn’t much of an issue, cleaning once every six months should suffice.
We recommend doing the cleaning at the end of winter and summer seasons, as this will remove most dust build-ups. As a maintenance precaution, you should also have your solar panels vacuumed between each daylight saving period.
The best way to tell if your solar panels need cleaning is by looking at their efficiency level. If it’s decreasing over time (or never goes up), that could mean it’s time for some maintenance or cleaning works.
Is it Advisable To Clean Solar Panels By Yourself?
While you can do the cleaning yourself, hiring a professional solar panel cleaning service is preferable. This is because it’s difficult to wash the panels by hand with soapy water, so it’s best to leave it to the professionals. They have safety equipment to get up into the nooks and crannies of the roof safely.
A professional company like Bailey Boys Services has the proper equipment and expertise to clean your solar panels. With experienced crews, you can rest assured that we will carefully cast aside any dust and grime without any damage. Our highly trained staff guarantees that no damage occurs during the cleaning process. This is crucial because damage can lead to decreased efficiency and a shorter lifespan for your panels.
Moreover, we’ll also tell you if there are any issues with your panels that need attention, which can save you time and money in the long run. For instance, we’ll note any deep groves, cracks, or loose parts as a result of falling debris and hail. As a bonus, you won’t have to worry about potentially damaging your roof while trying to reach those hard-to-get spots.
Finally, you’ll want a company that uses environmentally-friendly and non-abrasive products when cleaning. This means that you’re doing your part for the sustainability of our planet. There won’t be harmful chemicals ending up in your water systems or harming wildlife when they wash off into streams or rivers during rainstorms. By working with professional cleaners like us, you’re making a positive impact on the environment.
Maintain Your Solar Panels With Bailey Boys Services
In the end, regular cleaning helps prolong the life of your solar system and keep it performing at its best, so, it’s something you must not ignore. If you need more information about solar panel cleaning or need help with cleaning, contact the experts at Bailey Boys Solar Panel Cleaning Services. Our skilled cleaning technicians are highly trained to deliver a pristine standard of service that exceeds industry standards.
