Cleaning your solar panels is an important part of maintaining their efficiency. If you’re like most homeowners, you probably installed your solar panels as a nice bonus to your home.
After all, it’s great to have the sun providing you with free energy when it’s sunny outside, but not so great when you don’t have any sunlight because it’s cloudy or because you live in a dark house.
The great thing about cleaning your solar panels is that it doesn’t have to be hard or expensive. Cleaning them takes only a few minutes once per month and can really help extend the life of your panel by getting rid of dust, dirt, and other grime particles that are trapped in the panel’s anti-fogging coatings and behind the cell junctions.
How often should you clean your solar panels?
The best answer to this question is: it depends. But there are some guidelines you should follow in order to keep your panels in good shape. If you follow a maintenance plan, then you probably only need to clean your panels once per month.
However, there are a few things you can do to help your panels last longer:
– Don’t be lazy and clean your panels – even if it’s just for a few minutes. You might be surprised at how much dirt and dust you can get out of the panels with just a damp sponge and some water.
– Use a clean sponge and clean solution that is free of soap, anti-fogging agents, and other substances that can damage your panels.
– Clean only one panel at a time, and clean in the same area of your house so you don’t have to move your clean panels.
What type of tools and products do you need to clean your solar panels?
There are a few things you will need to clean your solar panels, but most can be found at your local home improvement store. Here’s a quick list of what you will need:
– A sponge – This is not optional, you will need to laminate it with dish soap.
– A bucket – Put a few ice cubes in the bucket to keep the sponge clean.
– A scrub brush – This is not optional either and you may want to pick a type that is made for cleaning solar panels.
– A spray bottle – You can use this to mist the sponge to clean the panels. You may also need a few fresh spritz bottles to keep the sponge clean.
– A clean rags – You will need a few clean rags.
– A hose to clean the panels – Make sure it is a high pressure hose and can handle the pressure of the water.
– Protective eyewear – Make sure they are solar panel safe eyewear.
How often is too often to clean your solar panels?
Well, as we mentioned above, if you follow a maintenance plan, you will probably only need to clean your panels once per month. So the question becomes how often is too often to clean your solar panels? There is no consensus on this, and each panel system is different.
Cleaning your panels too often can damage your panels by removing the protective layer of “fogging film” that shields the cells from dust and dirt. It also removes any residual moisture from the surface of your panels that is needed to help keep them cool. If your panels become too dry, they will overheat and stop producing energy.
There is also a concern that cleaning your panels too often could increase the total amount of dust in the air. It’s a good idea to clean your panels after a period of heavy dust in the air, but you don’t want to clean your panels every single day.
When Should You Replace Your Solar Panels?
As we mentioned above, cleaning your solar panels once per month is usually not enough. If you follow a maintenance plan and keep your panels clean, then you probably don’t need to replace the panels for 10 years or even longer.
However, if you notice any performance issues such as a decrease in energy production, overheating, or reduced life expectancy, then it’s a good idea to have your panels inspected and cleaned.
There are also some maintenance procedures that are recommended every 5 or 10 years to keep your panels in good shape. This can include removing any dust from the surface of the panels, cleaning the rims of your solar cells with a clean brush, and inspecting your solar panel connections to make sure they are not corroded and causing your panels to short out.
Final Words: What’s Next?
The good news is that cleaning your solar panels is not that difficult, and it doesn’t take much time. So don’t be afraid to clean your panels each month. You will notice that your panels are lasting longer and producing more energy. And it’s also a good way to protect your health by cleaning the dust off the panels and not inhaling the dust.
