How Often to Clean Solar Panels — GreenLight Solar Energy Solutions
Most people who own solar panels have this recurring thought — “ how can I clean my installed solar panels “? Dust & dirt settling on your panels are unavoidable due to rain or dust hovering amidst the air.
Most of the time, it contributes to a massive hassle on our part. Now, if your home runs on solar energy, would you want all the dust and grimes to settle on it and reduce the system’s efficiency? I believe not!
This article will help you out how often to clean solar panels — keep reading to keep knowing!
The Guideline to Cleaning Solar Panels
Well, Australia is one of the sunniest nations in the world, and we shall definitely use the abundant energy of the sun and convert them into electricity. But how? Well, installing a solar panel is the way to go but cleaning it might be a challenge if you do not know how to do so. First things first, let us see what type of dirt takes hold of your precious energy supplier.
The Wide-range of Dirt Settling on Your Panels:
There are many reasons to make a solar panel dirty, like bird droppings, dirt tidbits pollen, and dust. Usually, dirt, pollen, and dust will wash off in the rain, but sometimes stubborn dust hangs on the solar.
If your panels are situated near factories, busy highways, or fields, and the wind often blows the dust at them, in that time panel can get more dust coverage than the average.
For the typical dirt build-up on solar panels, its reduction in production is so tiny that it hardly ever requires taking any action. About 0.05% of your panels’ production is lost for dirt each day.
Some tips on how to wash your panels :
There are two ways to clean solar panels:
2. Do it yourself.
Most solar companies give solar panel cleaning services. They might offer an annual maintenance service.
On the other hand, you can clean the solar panels by yourself. If you want to clean the solar panels by yourself, you have to maintain some basic steps.
First of all, you should be able to understand the system before cleaning it. Then, you have to make sure that you take all the necessary safety precautions. You should use a gentle stream of water ( gently, just like a mild rainfall). Using any power washer or a high-pressure attachment will likely cause damage to your solar panels, which could significantly reduce your energy production and nullify your warranty. Don’t try to use any chemical like waxy, abrasive, or corrosive to wash — just water. Plain water works the best in 99% of cases.
Another important fact is that usually, the solar panel works the best during the ‘s peak time of shining brightly. So the wise decision is to clean it in the morning or evening. It’s important to remember that solar panels become hot at midday.
Professionals recommended Washing Your Panels Once a Year Can Improve Efficiency.
Cleaning process:
- Clean the panel with clean water and add a small amount of soap.
- Don’t add chemicals
- Try to wash slowly, and don’t try to use any kinds of solid metals or eclectic washing tools.
- Rinse solar panels with clean water from the hose a second time.
- Panels dry.
- Wash carefully so that water spreads to the whole of the board.
- Don’t use boiling water.
- Shouldn’t use arms and legs.
- Wear gloves.
- You can use soft brushes.
- Changing your position as needed.
How often should you clean the panels?
How often you should clean the panels depends on some factors like where your board is inducted. Beside the highway, beside the field, beside the railway will be a great chance to get dirty. Another important fact that you should consider is how far is it from the ground, if the solar panel is near the land, that is a high chance of making the dust removal easy.
Rain is an essential factor for solar panels because rain can clean tiny dust, pollen, and dirt to enhance the 95% maximum capacity. Meanwhile, when the weather is dry or sunny, there is a high chance of building up a dusted surface, reducing production. Sometimes pollen, Bird droppings, ash may or may not wash by rain. So that’s why when you decide to clean solar panels, you have to observe average rainfall.
What’s the way if you want to clean the solar panel by a professional?
Sometimes we aren’t able to wash the solar panel on our own due to many reasons, for example, time bindings, or if your roof is too high, lack in having safety equipment, too steepness in the destination, too slithery, you don’t know how to clean own, physical limitation to climb the goal.
Lots of solar companies provide cleaning services. If you contact them over the phone, they will come within a short time and clean the solar panel. Some companies will charge money each time, and some will give service in return for an annual payment. It all depends on who you contact and how you cut out the deal.
It does not of course need rocket science to understand that dust can reduce our solar panel’s efficiency. Jokes apart, sometimes your solar panels’ efficiency can be reduced up to 20%. It can be damaged if not cleaned for a long time. If you want to get good performance, you should clean it regularly. If necessary, you should seek the advice of experts.
Conclusion
If you follow all the rules and clean regularly, you will get good performance. You should do all the factors which are already discussed upstairs.
Day by day solar panels is going to be famous for their vast benefits. The solar panel is environmentally friendly and reduces costs. Many countries have taken steps to use solar panels for mass people or specific regions. It creates jobs and contributes to economic growth. Hence, going solar can be the most intelligent choice for you, especially when you are living in a country as bright and joyful as Australia.
Originally published at https://www.greenlightsolar.com.au on May 27, 2021.