How To Take Care Of Your Solar Panels

Now that you’ve installed your solar panel, you’re probably asking yourself, how do I keep my solar panels looking and working like the first day you bought them? The good news is that solar panels do not require much work to keep them clean. Normally, rain would do the cleaning for you when it comes to debris, dust, and birds. If you do plan to clean your panels, and they are not in reach from the ground, please make sure to take safety precautions or hire a professional to do it for you. You can clean them with a leaf blower, hose, soapy water, and a soft bristle brush. Normally, it’s recommended to clean it two to three times a year.

There are a few things to watch out for when cleaning your solar panels. Using a pressure washer can damage your solar panels, so make sure to use a normal hose. When I mentioned using the brush, there is a reason I specifically mentioned a soft bristle brush. Using a hard bristle brush can actually do more harm than good, causing scratches on the surface and damaging your solar panels. Lastly, it’s important to only use soapy water with dish soap, since any other cleaning liquid could also damage the glass and reduce efficiency.

If you keep your solar panels clean, that helps to give you an indicator when your solar panels need a service appointment. It’s recommended to have a regular inspection once a year, but if you start to see that your solar panels are not producing the amount of energy as they  normally do, it might be time to schedule that service appointment.

Overall, maintenance of solar panels is minimal, as they are made to withstand almost any type of environment. With that in mind, as well as the low cost to maintain, solar panels are a great clean alternative.