Do I Have To Clean The Solar Panels?

A solar panel is quite a significant investment in that it captures sun rays, converting them into clean energy. Just like all investments, maintaining and proper care for them will give you the optimum efficiency. Many believe that rain washes away debris from the solar panels. It does not. These include dust, bird droppings, and pollen, among other forms of debris; these types of debris may pile up and tend to decrease the amount of power that the solar panels generate with time. We would discuss the reasons why it’s a good idea to clean your solar panels, how often to clean them, the benefits of cleaning them, and the best practices for cleaning.

Why Clean Solar Panels?

For a photovoltaic panel to function effectively, direct sunlight must fall on the cells on it. Solar panels get dirty over time due to natural abrasion. Amongst the dirtiness that becomes an issue with the solar panels include;

Dust and Dirt: It settles on the surface area of the panel which may then block the extent that the sun can absorb.

Bird Droppings: These are particularly troublesome because they do not easily get washed off by rain and can shade parts of the panel.

Leaf and Organic Debris: Panels close to trees tend to have leaves, twigs, pollen, etc., and pile on them quickly.

Pollution Residues: Areas that have more pollution are likely to have more grime or smog dripping on panels.

Seasonal Debris: Plants shed pollen or debris during spring and fall, which falls on the solar panel.

Benefits of Cleaning Your Solar Panels

This becomes effective: Cleansed solar panels will make more energy mainly in areas where much dust and debris is collected.

Longer panel lifespan: Cleaning out all contaminants at certain times will reduce wear and tear, and it will, therefore, give you a longer life for your investment.

Reduced Energy Cost: By ensuring your panels work efficiently, you tend to rely less on other energy sources.

Better ROI: Solar panel is a long-term investment. Regular cleaning ensures that you get the maximum return from the investment.

How Often Should Solar Panels Be Cleaned?

Cleaning the solar panels is easy; however, cleaning it might damage them, depending on how one does it. So, here is a step-by-step guide that’ll walk you through the proper steps:

Safety First: Solar panels, before cleaning should always be shut down. This will avoid shock from electricity and does not damage anything.

Cleanliness Tools Only: Abrasive materials should not be used. Do not use stiff brushes that may scratch the outer part of the panel. What’s best is a soft brush or microfiber cloth.

Clean during morning or evening: Photovoltaic cells get really heated up by direct sun rays. So, cleaning during the morning or evening when it is a bit cooler makes the process safer and more comfortable for you.

Rinse using clean water: After brushing off the dust, rinse off all soap residues since if they stay on the panel, they will attract dust.

Professional Solar Panel Cleaning Services

While a person can clean their solar panels at a moment’s notice, professional cleaning companies are equipped with whatever special equipment they may need, let alone techniques for the task at hand, to provide a safe and efficient finish. Some of the advantages of hiring a professional cleaning service include Complete cleaning: They possess devices like water-fed poles mixed with mild cleaning solutions that are specifically designed to be used on solar panels only.

Safety Concerns: Going up merely to have access to rooftop-mounted panels can be dangerous. Professionals are more equipped with knowledge about how the task needs to be handled with safety.

Guaranteed Outcome: Any stubborn dirt, such as bird droppings and so on, that may not be possible to clean up on one’s own will be extracted from panels in the best way by professionals.

Effects of Not Cleaning Solar Panels

Not cleaning the solar panels for a very long time will cause several problems.

Lower Power Generation: Debris will be occluding more of the sun’s rays that fall on your solar panels, thus directly lowering the power output.

Increased Energy Costs: Every time the energy generated is low, you will have no choice but to consume a higher amount of energy from the grid, and this simply means increasing your monthly bill.

Likelihood of Permanent Damage: In very rare situations, continued collection of certain debris will permanently stain or scratch and therefore further diminish the panel’s performance.

Indeed, even a small loss of efficiency over the long term compounds in accumulation into your savings in energy, making cleaning highly recommended.

How Much Rainfall Is Considered Sufficient?

Few wonder whether the rain can actually clean the solar panels. Well, it does help wash off some of the dust and light debris. However, in most cases, it will not remove dirt, birds dropping, etc. Also, the residues of minerals deposit, left behind by the rainwater, over a period of time block incoming sunlight. Thus, although rain is helpful, it cannot replace routine thorough cleaning of these panels.

Do-it-Yourself Cleaning vs. Professional Cleaning: Which is the Better Choice?

It all depends on whether you prefer to clean your panels yourself, or hire some professional cleaning service; those factors like budget, comfort with heights, and how much one can waste time cleaning them. Ground-mounted ones effectively use DIY cleaning, while roof-mounted ones are more convenient and usually yield better results when outsourced to professionals.

Benefits of DIY Cleaning

It is cheaper, especially if you have the equipment in the house
You decide when and how frequently you clean the panels
Benefits of Professional Cleaning:
There is access to professional tools and expertise
It reduces risks to safety with regard to rooftop solar panels
It is a process that requires minute cleaning, and there is no possibility of breaking something by mistake

When your solar installation is a minor residential system, you will be ordered to clean it yourself; large or roof-mounted solar panel systems should be cleaned by professionals.

Contact us

Clean panels are advisable for those people who would want to gain as much energy as possible from a solar panel. Any one-time or fixed maintenance program gets professional solar panel cleaning with a promise of the best return on investment from AfinityMS (Pk). We ensure a safe and all-round cleaning process using the latest tools and technology, which will extend the lives of your solar panels to the maximum and as long as possible.

We are dedicated to ensuring that each task is successfully completed according to the unique needs of every customer, with a satisfaction guarantee.

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