Solar Panel Cleaning Services, Maintenance & Inspections
The Importance of Solar System Cleaning Periodic maintenance is a necessity when it comes to solar energy use. As solar energy becomes more widely used, there is an increasing awareness of the critical role cleanliness plays in improving solar panel efficiency. Over time, dust, grime, bird droppings, and other pollutants from the surroundings collect on solar panels, reducing their ability to capture sunlight and convert it into energy. This buildup can result in diminished performance and lower energy output, eventually leading to a decrease in return on investment. As a result, regular cleaning is required to ensure optimal energy output and extend the life of solar installations. Our introduction aims to emphasize the importance of solar system cleaning in preserving peak performance.
Why is Cleaning Solar Panels Important?
After a few days of installation, a continual process of solar panel cleaning is underway. Efficiency loss for home and commercial solar panel users who never clean their systems can reach up to 25%. Your solar panels may become dirty as a result of leaves, bird droppings, and airborne particles (due to dirt and pollen) and may result in a significant loss on your solar system investment. Power loss is a result of dirty panels because dirt and debris prevent the solar array from operating at its maximum potential.
How Should You Care for Your Solar System?
The secret to keeping your solar equipment in good operating order, besides from a $150 annual inspection, is to keep it clear so that it can absorb as much sunshine as possible. These systems are built to be incredibly durable and strong and can provide electricity for the next 20 to 25 years if the sun can shine on them.
Here are some tips to care for your solar system:
- Remove Obstacles: Extend branches and fallen leaves that can block sunlight.
- Clear the Area of Pollen and Debris: Pollen and debris buildup can reduce your energy production. • Monitor Changes: Keep an eye out for any adjustments in your output monitoring system.
- Consider Purchasing a Cleaning Robot: Automated washing and rinsing all year round.
Cleaning Service Prices
The typical charge is $8 to $10 per panel. Homeowners typically pay between $150 and $160 for 20pcs solar panel service alone. Service providers will often set a minimum price for a job, especially if it involves getting on the roof. This way, they cover their time and equipment costs regardless of how small the solar array is. Do not expect to pay less than $150 for this service. Annual cleaning will suffice for the majority of systems. Areas with less rain, on the other hand, can have a greater requirement. The cost of this service will vary depending on the circumstances of the individual homeowner
The following factors will influence your price:
- Where placed: Due to security and extra labor charge, ground-mounted solar units cost less and additional cleaning service costs for a two-story house.
- How long have you been cleaning: If you have cleaned your panels for long periods, your costs will be a bit higher due to more solar panel cleaning kits and labor.
- Size: A larger array will take longer to clean, which will increase labor costs. Although the cost of labor for a small array is low, the minimum value is estimated at 150$
- Maintenance Agreement: If you have an annual maintenance agreement when you buy the system, your costs will be greatly reduced. If you want, you can make an annual cleaning service agreement with us.
Why Solar Panel Cleaning Is Important?
Solar-panel-cleaning-service is a continuous process after few days of installation. Efficiency loss can reach up to 25 percent, but some reports bring the number as high as 30 percent for residential & commercial solar panel consumers who never clean their system.
Due to leaves, bird poop and airborne particles (from dirt and pollen) your solar panels can become dirty and can cause a great loss on your solar system investment.
Dirty panels mean power loss — grime and debris reduce the ability of the solar array to perform at full capacity.
A solar array is made up of several solar modules wired together, and each solar module is made up of solar cells all mounted collectively in a frame. Solar cells, in turn, are made of semiconductor materials, such as silicon. One side of a solar cell is positive, the other negative. When sunlight hits a solar cell, it excites the electrons in the semiconductor material, and it’s this energy that can be captured as electricity. If the cells aren’t clean, then less sunlight is able to be absorbed and less electricity is generated.
Just a sample calculation of how much dirty panels can cost your 5KW system.
Per day average sunlight hour = 4.9
A 5KW system with full efficiency generates per hour = 5000Watt
So, a 5KW system can generate 24.5KW electricity per day which is worth $700 per quarter at that rate.
If you do not take solar panel cleaning services, the efficiency of the solar panels get reduced up to 25%, which means you will be losing $176 per quarter and in a year you would be losing somewhere around $705 and which is really a huge amount of return that you will be losing from your solar system investment.
So, now we can see how important is to go for solar panel cleaning once in a year to maximize return on investment.
Why Professional Cleaning, Why Not Self Cleaning Of The Solar Panels?
Let’s have a short discussion on solar panel cleaning services, why not self-cleaning the solar panel. Homeowners with small solar systems may choose elbow grease as their preferred cleaning method. Solar panels, like windows, can be cleaned with warm water and dishwashing soap to remove any dirt or residue. When you wash them, you’re washing the glass surface and the frame of the panel.
Sweat equity has its downside, though, and manually cleaning solar panels can come with risks. First, you (or the person who is doing the cleaning) risk personal injury. If you’re not comfortable on your roof, consider your personal safety before ascending a ladder.
Also, while soap and water won’t hurt your solar panels, you still run the risk of damaging them (remember this is an electrical system you’re cleaning) and need special cleaning agents to clean them without hampering the base material of the panels or even your roof if you don’t know what you’re doing. Some things are best left to professionals.
A photovoltaic (PV) system performs best with completely unobstructed access to the sun’s rays for most or all of the day. Even something as seemingly inconsequential as a residue layer can affect the performance of your panels, while bigger spots & obstructions can have a much greater impact that is disproportionate to their size.
On top of cleanliness, there are numerous other issues that may crop up over a system’s lifetime that may go unnoticed, especially when seen by an untrained eye. For example, a panel may have developed cracks as a result of hail or other falling objects, or parts of the racking may have come loose.
How Often Solar Panels Need Cleaning?
Here is a question from the residential & commercial solar panel owner that how often solar panels need cleaning. It’s obvious that the system owner might have seen the solar panels while installing and that could be the last time. Most of the owners don’t think or understand that the panels might need cleaning and even forgets about the panels after installing as those are not on clear eyesight.
We at solar world recommend every solar power system to go for professional cleaning once in six months or at least once in a year to protect their hard-earned investment and maximize return.
Regular checks can also prevent cracks or fire risks from developing into something worse – but you’ll need to know what you’re looking for in order to identify these issues in the first place.
Why Solar World For Professional Cleaning?
With 12 years of solar energy system industry, we know the complete in and out of any small or large solar power system and we know exactly where it can go wrong when efficiency is decreasing to help you protect your investment. solar panel cleaning services can keep up your production of power efficiency year after year.
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