If you want to make the most of your solar panels, solar panel maintenance is extremely important for keeping them in tip-top shape and ensuring their lifespan. Because they’re exposed to the elements, keeping clean solar panels can minimize the negative effects of dust and debris on their efficiency and help maximize your system’s energy production.
But when it comes to choosing the best cleaning services for residential solar panels or commercial solar panels, there are so many types of services available that it can be difficult to know which one is the best choice for you. To help you navigate the world of solar panel cleaning services, here are some important factors to consider before choosing a company to do solar panel cleaning for you:
When looking at solar panel maintenance costs or searching for how to clean solar panels, you may come across “do-it-yourself” options that feel cost-effective and look like an easy quick fix. However, there are many things to consider here. In particular, you should consider the panel warranty and your own personal safety.
Panel manufacturers have several requirements to keep the warranty. The first is that the water cannot have calcium in the water – limescale build-up will ruin the panel and void the warranty. Another requirement is that panel washing must happen at the extreme ends of the day or at night. The reason is that cold water can put thermal stress on the solar panel glass and cause it to crack. Solar panel maintenance also requires activity around electrical components and on roofs – there are plenty of hazards like falling, shock, or breaking something on your roof.
Instead of doing solar panel maintenance yourself, you may consider typing something like “solar panel cleaning near me” into your search bar to find local options.
Most solar panel cleaning services are done by local businesses that serve a limited area – so utilizing word of mouth and looking for reviews on the internet can help you find other customer’s recommendations. You’ll also want to make sure the solar panel cleaning service you choose doesn’t use abrasive materials like hard brushes or detergent to clean since it can damage your solar panels.
You should also consider solar panel maintenance cost when deciding on hiring a company to do your solar panel cleaning. Since you’ll want to optimize your solar panel’s energy production, the seasons and the weather in your area can affect how often you need solar panel maintenance. Because the panels tend to get dirty after a short period of time, you’ll need to hire these businesses to clean them again and again which can get expensive in the long run. Otherwise, you’ll have to accept a decrease in your solar panel’s energy production that can be high as 30%.
With all these options to consider, you may be thinking “do solar panels need cleaning?” – and the answer really is yes. Although both durable and reliable, solar panels still need to be cleaned to protect your investment and ensure they’re performing at top efficiency. But that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with the options of doing it yourself or hiring an expensive company to get the job done.
With its automated solar panel cleaning system, the RST Cleantech Solution is a cost-effective solution that’s designed to increase solar energy production and make routine solar panel maintenance easier. By choosing to fully automate the process, you’ll never need people on your roof again and you’ll ensure your solar panels are getting cleaned on a regular basis.
In addition, the RST Cleantech Solution system doesn’t use detergent or abrasive materials that damage your solar panels. Unlike most cleaning services, the system cleans at night to avoid cracking your solar panel – making this a completely damage-free choice.
When choosing how you’ll routinely clean your solar panels, there are benefits and factors unique to each of the options above. From location to level of time commitment, every solar panel owner’s situation is different – so taking the time to research and look into your options can help you make the best choice for you.
