In general, it is recommended to clean solar panels every 6 months or a year to maintain the productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness of the panels. However, depending on where you live and the level of dirt and contamination, the need for cleaning may be more common. The answer lies somewhere in between. You don't need to clean your solar panels, but you'll sacrifice some of the efficiency by not cleaning them.
And while it is true that rain will remove certain substances that accumulate in the panels, it will not be as effective as manual cleaning. In most cases, you only need to clean your solar panels once or twice a year. We recommend scheduling your annual cleaning routine during the spring. This avoids summer heat and harsh winter weather.
Industry experts suggest cleaning the panels at least twice a year. If you do, you will keep your investment in the best condition and with the expected return. A professional solar panel cleaning company may not do a significantly different or better job than you can do yourself, but it is better equipped to safely clean and maintain roof units. Emmett Smith, a reporter for Mashable, highlights how MIT researchers have developed a new technique to remove dust from solar panels without using water.
These water leaks can cause corrosion of thin cables, causing the solar panel and its photovoltaic cells to fail. When cleaning solar panels, the most important consideration to consider is that scratching or damaging the glass in any way will reduce the panel's energy production. In addition, panels in homes near airports, factories, highways, and other sources of pollution will need more frequent cleaning. Applying dish soap and clean water with a sponge or soft cloth is the safest and easiest cleaning method.
The researchers discovered an average increase of 3.5% in energy production (the amount of energy produced over time) after cleaning the panels with a soft cloth and water. Researchers at the University of California left solar panels on a roof for 145 days without cleaning them. Improper cleaning practices can void the warranty, so be sure to read the details before you start cleaning on your own. While rain can help eliminate waste naturally, making a concerted effort to clean the panels will increase the performance of solar panels.
Your solar panels will need special attention and frequent cleaning, as they have to withstand much more dust and dirt. Windex is a cheap and widely available cleaner that is excellent for cleaning glass surfaces, such as those on a solar panel, to ensure that they work at maximum efficiency. CleanTechnica published an analysis carried out by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
According to which panels lose around 30% if they are not properly cleaned. As much as many homeowners want to keep a tight budget and prefer to do it yourself, solar panel cleaning services offer professional service while following industry safety protocols. Yes, you can clean the solar panels yourself by filling a bucket with water and using dish soap and a low pressure hose.
