Do Rooftop Solar Panels Need Cleaning

Show extra caution if cleaning your solar panels requires you to climb up on the roof.

Do rooftop solar panels need cleaning. Not keeping your panels clean will cost you money in the long run and can put the lifespan of your panels at risk. We ll get to the best way to clean your solar panels in a minute. Probably not very often most likely never. Long arm 1005 window solar panel cleaning kit.

Clean the surface of the solar panel with a soft cloth or sponge. I hear you saying isn t that what rain is for that s kind of the same logic for solar panels too. The only thing they need is a periodic light cleaning to make sure dirt leaves and other debris aren t obstructing the sun s rays. Some of our favorite solar panel cleaning supplies include.

Solar panels generally require very little maintenance in order to function. In most cases you won t need to clean your solar panels often if at all. You do not have to clean the wiring underneath. When it comes to cleaning solar panels it s better to err on the side of safety and efficiency.

Grime will build up but eventually there will be sufficient rain to wash most of it off. There are some instances where solar panels might need cleaning but most of the evidence says solar panels are self sufficient and low maintenance. Yes you have to clean your rooftop solar panels and you have to clean them regularly. Olson recommends homeowners use a soft bristle brush with an extended handle like the type used to clean off an rv.

In other parts of the world where rainfall levels are lower build up of dust and dirt can present more of an issue and panels may need to be cleaned more often to prevent a significant drop in output. When someone gets a new rooftop solar installation the second question they always ask is how often do i need to clean my solar panels we ll answer that question on today s show taking into account the different effects of rain dust and electric rates btw the first question people always ask is how do i read my electric bill but that s a topic for another show. Companies specializing in cleaning solar panels generally say. Dirt on solar panels usually has very little effect on their performance.

How often do you clean your roof. One company selling an automated washing system says panels should be washed every couple of weeks. Generally in the uk unless your solar panels have bird droppings on them you shouldn t need to clean your solar panels. In the uk the vast majority of domestic solar panel arrays don t need regular heavy duty cleaning thanks to the high levels of rainfall.

Fortunately cleaning solar panels is easy for ground mounted systems or for rooftop solar systems on a typical one story house. Some say panels need an annual scrub others say quarterly. If you notice a decrease in efficiency it could mean your panels are in need of a cleaning. This is because for most homes in australia rainfall is enough to keep solar panels reasonably clean.

And don t forget to choose an environmentally friendly soap.