Cleaning and Maintaining your Solar Panels

What You Need to Know About Maintaining your Solar Panels

Installing solar panels will help you to live a cleaner and more economical lifestyle. Over time, you’ll save money on electricity bills, reduce your reliance on the National Grid and be able to stay away from the fossil fuels which cause climate change. Solar panels offer a wide range of benefits, but are you up to speed with the cleaning and maintenance of your solar panels? Here’s what you need to know.

Do I need to clean my solar panels?

Solar panels are designed to be self-cleaning in the UK and therefore little maintenance is needed. They are not a time-consuming investment and can be left for long periods to absorb the sun’s rays and convert them to usable energy for your home. Most solar panels last a good 30 years and are a great investment.

That said, solar panels that are prone to dust, dirt, bird droppings, tree sap and other kinds of grime need to be more carefully maintained. This is because any kind of coverage could prevent your solar panels from working at their full capacity. Dirty panels have the same impact on a solar PV system as shading does, so keeping them sparkling is a good idea.

What is the best time to clean solar panels?

An annual spring clean or inspection of your solar panels will ensure they are super effective during the warmer months. Always clean your solar panels during the morning or evening when it’s cooler, or on a cloudier day. As you’d expect, sun panels can get hot quickly and may become too hot to touch when the sun’s shining brightly. Any water applied can also evaporate quickly leaving smear marks which can interfere with performance.

How do I know when to clean my solar panels?

You may be able to see a build-up of dirt and debris. This indicates that a clean is needed. Panels that are tilted less than five degrees are more prone to becoming dirty, so it’s worth keeping this in mind. You can also use your monitoring platform to see how well the panels are harnessing the sun’s energy. If there’s a significant drop in performance, then a clean might be needed. Also note that if solar panels are on a string array, a single dirty cell can impact the efficiency of your entire solar panel system.

Does maintaining your solar panels make a difference?

Solar panels are designed to not get super dirty. But if the surface has been blocked in some way, then a clean will certainly make a difference. Remember, solar panel cells must be able to absorb the sun’s energy without any kind of interference and therefore must be clean.

How do I clean my solar panels

Solar panel maintenance is typically a job for the professionals. Solar PV experts know what they’re doing and will work quickly and safely. If you do go it alone, shut down your system first for optimum safety. Then use a soft brush to get rid of any loose dirt before cleaning the panels with water. Be careful not to leave behind any water to avoid those unwanted smear marks.

Whether you’re looking for solar panel installers in Kent or require solar panel cleaning, contact South East Solar and Electrical today for all your solar energy needs.