How To Clean Solar Panels
Do solar panels need frequent cleaning or can an odd rainstorm do the trick?
Actually, it depends. Rain or snow may clean some dust, but in rare circumstances, it may cause more harm than good. Environmental conditions, dust types, and location and installation all have a role in dry and humid regions.
Is rain good or bad?
A year of dust buildup reduced performance only by 4.4% in a Spanish study. Most solar panel owners could probably cope. The study concluded that "long periods without rain can result in daily energy losses of over 20%." 1stA lack of rain causes dust deposition, which may worsen with time in a dry region where dust accumulation is a major issue.
Normal rainfall can wash away dust and maintain solar panels' operating at roughly 95% of their capacity. That conclusion may lead you to believe that solar panels in rainy climates require less upkeep. No way! Usually, there's more to the equation than dust. It's a coating of surface soiling made up of pollen, bird droppings, leaves, and ash that may or may not wash away in the rain. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews2 has a report that delves into the complexities. The research suggests that cleaning rain clean solar panels is a good idea if you live in a place like:
- A area where dust accumulates on solar panels.
- A area where the dust is so fine that rain effectively washes it away.
- A place where it rains frequently enough to prevent dust buildup from reducing solar panel energy output.
Consider this: if rain is truly excellent at cleaning, why is the car wash the first stop after a rainstorm? A little rain may not be enough to clean up a polluted mix. It could merely be the base element in a slurry of pollutants. For example, one family lives in a temperate rainforest where dust isn't an issue. They found a 10% performance decline three years after adding solar panels. Local installers were unhelpful when they asked about cleaning services, citing frequent rain as a reason. But when their professional window washer went up to clean their panels, he found a sticky brown haze that wouldn't rinse off in the rain. After cleaning the panels, the homeowner claimed a 20% increase in productivity, exceeding their original production level by 10%! 3rd
How can you know if cleaning is worthwhile if rain alone won't do it?
If you've had solar panels for a year or more, you've probably observed how the energy output varies from month to month owing to weather and seasonal fluctuations. Observing your solar array for a year will teach you how much variability is normal. If you notice diminished output during periods of normal weather, filthy panels may be the cause. If and when that happens, consider:
Solar panels: cleaning solar panels
Cleaning solar panels shouldn't be expensive or difficult. When feasible, spray them from the ground. More frequently than not, you'll require cleaning tools and supplies to clean your panels from close up.
Try hosing your solar panels off the ground to remove dust off the surface.
If your panels are underperforming, your roof isn't too high, and you think a simple dust buildup is the issue, try hosing them out from the ground first. In addition to being the safest and cheapest option, it also yields the best return. Remember, if your roof is low enough to be sprayed from the ground but high enough to require a pressure washer or a nozzle to concentrate the hose pressure, don't spray your solar panels directly. Hitting the dirty surface hard may cause scratches. Scratches will permanently reduce the energy production of your solar panels by casting tiny shadows on the photovoltaic cells beneath the tempered glass.
Wash your solar panels with gentle scrubbers, mild soapy water, and a squeegee for thicker buildup.
How to clean solar panels:
- Add clean water and a little soap to your bucket.
- Rinse solar panels with clean water to remove dirt.
- Wash the panels with a gentle scrubber and soapy water from a bucket (or mixing sprayer).
- Rinse solar panels with clean water again.
- Dries panels
- Repeat until all panels are clean, shifting positions as needed.
Remember that solar panels grow hot throughout the day, so plan your cleaning time for dawn or night, or on gloomy days when their surface would be cooler. Hot panels wiped with soapy water create a coating that requires extra cleaning actions to remove.
Professional cleaners are sometimes cheaper, safer, and easier.
Given all the uncertainties, you may have decided that cleaning your own solar panels isn't for you. Maybe you realized:
- Your roof is too high, steep, or slippery.
- Nobody lends you their ladder or cleaning tools, and buying and storing equipment that you might only use once a year is a waste of money.
- Your physical limitations make climbing ladders and scrambling on rooftops risky.
- You'd rather not be the one doing all the work.
Professional cleaning may be the best solution for many solar clients. Then you can call the business that originally installed your panels and ask if they offer cleaning services. They should have information on your roofing materials, roof pitch, solar array square footage, and either photos or digital renderings of your solar array's layout. Then they should be able to offer you an accurate price estimate over the phone, or at least send you in the right direction.
According to the weather, it's crucial to frequently rinse off your solar panels and, if necessary, carefully clean them using the aforementioned panels or engage a professional cleaner to clean them. Cleaning your solar panels clean will let you reap the benefits of going solar year after year.