Google did a study on the need to clean solar panels.
Do you clean solar panels.
When cleaning solar panels it is essential to use the right cleaning equipment.
Different products may have different cleaning.
However cleaning is one aspect of solar panel maintenance that should not be taken lightly.
Hire a professional or do it yourself.
Your solar panels need to be exposed to sunlight in order to produce power.
We ll get to the best way to clean your solar panels in a minute.
How to clean solar panels.
The first thing you want to do is to check with your solar panel manufacturer.
If you clean your panels monthly then this may be all you need to clean them.
Make sure to squeeze out the cloth or sponge before wiping the bulb.
In this article you will learn how to clean solar panels the right way.
The glass is strong but using abrasive materials can scratch the surface of the glass reducing its performance or even damaging the module.
If your solar panels are installed on the ground then you can opt to use a simple sponge to clean them up or a soft brush as.
Water could damage the electronics if it drips into the panel.
But first let s look at when and why you might need to invest in solar panel cleaning equipment or hire a professional cleaning service.
You can include a solar panel cleaning as part of your spring cleaning routine.
Solar panels are generally self cleaning but in particularly dry areas or where panel tilt is minimal dust and other substances such as bird droppings can build up over time and impact on the amount electricity generated by a module.
If you do decide your solar panels need to be cleaned there are two main ways of doing it.
How to clean solar panels.
They found that tilted panels don t require cleaning as much as flat panels.
At the very least you should do an annual cleaning of your panels.
This is where cleaning solar panels may have to be done.
Olson recommends homeowners use a soft bristle brush with an extended handle like the type used to clean off an rv.
This tends to result in a 3 to 5 increase in efficiency.
However unless you live somewhere with high amounts of smog dust dirt or sand blowing around solar panel cleaning is generally not necessary in most cases occasional rain will be enough to naturally and safely keep your solar panels clean and free of debris that could lower production.
Most manufacturers recommend cleaning at least twice a year.
Fortunately cleaning solar panels is easy for ground mounted systems or for rooftop solar systems on a typical one story house.
They might have specific recommendations for cleaning.
Remember to always check the cleaning directions from the manufacturer of your lights.