Solar panels are a smart investment. They lower your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint. But like any investment, they need a bit of attention from time to time to perform at their best.
If you’re worried about maintenance being difficult or expensive, don’t be. Solar panels are surprisingly low-maintenance, and most issues can be prevented with simple checks and cleaning.
- Why Do Solar Panels Need Cleaning?
- How to Clean Solar Panels
- How to Inspect Your Solar Panels
- Common Cleaning Issues for Solar Panels
- When to Call an Expert
In this article, you’ll learn why maintenance matters, how to care for your panels, and when to call in a professional.
Why Do Solar Panels Need Cleaning?
Obviously, solar panels are designed to require little maintenance. Most folks can’t get up on the roof regularly to give them attention. But it’s worthwhile to get up there from time to time. A little bit of care will help extend the lifespan of your solar panels.
When panels are clean and free of damage, they will produce more power for your home. Solar panels love a cool day without a cloud in the sky. You don’t want anything getting between your panels and all that sweet sunshine.
Neglecting maintenance can lead to drops in power production and output. This will lead to saving less money on your energy bills. You installed solar panels for a reason, it’s best to maximise their efficiencies.
There are also some environmental factors that can affect your panels as well. In Western Sydney, we get a lot of windy days, especially from August to December. Panels everywhere can collect dirt, dust, or debris from bushfires. Regularly checking on your panels makes sure these issues don’t harm performance or cause long-term damage.
If you’re interested in learning a bit more about the warranties for the products we install, you might want to check out the following article titled, A Complete Guide to Solar Warranties.
How to Clean Solar Panels
Please be careful when cleaning your solar panels. Please be careful. Getting up on the roof can be dangerous. You’ll also be spraying water where there’s normally a lot of electricity. There are precautions you’ll want to follow before you get started.
Turn Off the System: Shut down your system. To do this, follow the instructions your solar inverter’s manufacturer has for shutting down the solar. Cleaning panels while they’re active can lead to accidents.
Assemble the Right Tools:
- Garden hose.
- Bucket.
- Soft sponge.
Please don’t use abrasive cleaning materials like steel wool or high-pressure washers. These things might damage your solar panels. No one wants that.
Rinse the Panels: Gently spray the panels with water to remove the loose dirt or debris. Be gentle with the water pressure.
Scrub Gently: For particularly stubborn debris, use a sponge to softly remove it. Do not use soap or any cleaning chemicals. Harsh chemicals will damage the glass coating on the panels.
Rinse Again: Gently spray the panel off if needed.
Let Them Dry: Allow your panels to completely air-dry before you turn the system back on.
By doing this once or twice a year, you can prevent dirt and grime from building up and blocking your power production.
If you’re interested in what one of our installations looks like, you might want to check out the following article titled, Installing 22 Solar Panels on a Terracotta Roof | 9.68kW Install.
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How to Inspect Your Solar Panels
You’re never going to know how to clean your panels if you don’t know when or how to inspect them. Here’s how we recommend you check them:
Monitor Performance:
When you install solar, it’s a great idea to invest in an energy use monitoring software to track energy production and distribution throughout the home. Some solar systems come with an app, and if yours doesn’t, you should consider paying for one.
Monitoring software is like a speedometer for your solar system. It tells you how much power your panels are producing, how much is going to the home, how much is being stored in your solar battery, and how much you’re exporting to the grid.
A sudden drop in output might be a signal that the panels need to be cleaned. Monitoring apps always notify you of energy production dropping off, it’s why we suggest them.
This will help notify you of panels that just aren’t getting enough light.
Visual Inspection:
- Look for dirt, debris, or bird/bat droppings on the panels. These can block sunlight and lower efficiency.
- Check for cracks, chips, or other damage to the glass.
- Inspect the mounting system to ensure it’s secure and free of rust or corrosion.
- Inspect your panels after hailstorms, high winds, or heavy rains. Look for damage or debris that could affect performance.
If your panels look like they’ve had a hard go of it, it’s best to reach out to experts for repairs or replacements. Your solar installer handles fulfilling the warranties for you. Contact them if there are signs something needs attention.
If you’re interested in learning a bit more about the importance of monitoring and programming your energy, you might want to check out the following article titled, What is Consumption Monitoring?
Common Cleaning Issues for Solar Panels
There are a few issues that Australian solar enthusiasts face. Here’s some insight into how to troubleshoot them.
Dirt/Dust: If you live in a dry and dusty part of Australia, your panels will most likely collect dirt faster. This can be especially pronounced during droughts or bushfire season.
Regular cleaning prevents this buildup.
Bird/Bat Droppings: Birds and bats fill the beautiful Australian skies, but their droppings land on solar panels and block the sunlight.
Installing bird-proofing measures like mesh around the panels can help with this.
Weather Damage: Different weather events can potentially damage your solar panels. It doesn’t happen too often, but a truly heavy hailstorm might crack the glass.
Inspect your solar panels after storms. If there’s any damage, contact your solar installer for repairs or replacement.
If you’re interested in learning a bit more about the importance of your roof type and how it affects your solar installation, you might want to check out the following article titled, How Does Your Roof Affect Your Installation?
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When to Call an Expert
Some tasks are better left to professionals, especially if you’re unsure or uncomfortable with DIY maintenance.
- If your panels are hard to reach or installed on a steep roof, hire a professional to clean them safely.
- Call a professional if you notice performance issues, damage, or error messages that you can’t resolve yourself.
If there is any damage or performance issues, you should call for reinforcements. Error messages on the inverter or in your consumption monitoring app are always best handled by your solar installer.
Your solar system components all come with warranties. Understanding these warranties can help you save money on repairs.
Panel Warranties: Most solar panels come with a performance warranty of 25 years. This guarantees they’ll produce a certain percentage of their original output over time.
Inverter Warranties: Inverters usually have a shorter warranty of 5 to 10 years. Plan for at least one replacement during your system’s lifespan. Of course, the Enphase microinverters we install are warranted for 25 years.
How to Protect Your Warranty: Always follow the manufacturer’s maintenance guidelines. Hiring a professional for certain tasks, like repairs, makes sure you don’t void your warranty.
If you’re interested in learning a bit more about the importance of a good installer for your solar (the most important component of any system, seriously), you might want to check out the following article titled, In-house Installers vs. Subcontractors: Which is Better?
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Get Your Sunny’s Worth and Keep Your Panels Clean
Now you know what to consider when it comes to keeping your solar panels clean. While there are a number of things that you can do to keep them functioning at optimal capacity, there are some things that are best left to experts.
At Penrith Solar Centre, we know a thing or two about cleaning solar panels. We’re here to guide you through every step of your solar journey; including maintenance after installation. Our service department will work with you to keep your system running smoothly for years to come.
If you’re interested in learning a bit more about the benefits of solar components, you might want to start with the following article titled, 7 Benefits of Adding a Battery to Your Solar System.
