After investing in high-quality solar-powered equipment and having it installed on your roof, you may think you have finished the job. However, it’s not enough to just install solar panels and forget about them. One of the most important things comes after installation, and that is solar panel maintenance. Although this equipment doesn’t require heavy maintenance that needs to be done often, it’s quite crucial to do it regularly. Professionals from Peak Services recommend that you clean your solar panels approximately every six months. However, the time frame may vary depending on many factors. But the main question is, what is the best way to wash your solar panels? This is why we are going to cover pressure washing vs. soft washing in this article.
Why do solar panels need cleaning by pressure washing vs. soft washing?
We all know that solar panels convert sunlight into electrical energy. This is why it’s important that nothing blocks the sunlight to reach your equipment. But we cannot stop dirt, dust, leaves, and other stuff to pile up on the surface of solar panels. If you don’t remove these things regularly, they can reduce the amount of light your panels receive. That means – less energy for you. However, there is something you can do to increase the power of energy production by a couple of percentage points. And that is solar panel cleaning Summerlin NV. Do you remember how your home is suddenly much brighter when you wash the windows? Well, the same thing can happen with your solar panels.
If you wish to have your solar panels for a long time, regular maintenance is crucial.
Bird droppings are your number one enemy
If your home is surrounded by large trees, you may be facing a problem with birds. Trees in your backyard won’t only drop leaves and branches, but will also attract birds. And when someone has solar panels on their roof, birds can become their greatest enemy. Why? Well, bird droppings can affect the performance of your solar panels. If bird droppings cover your equipment, it can result in minimal or no energy being produced by your system. And that’s the last thing you want. This is why it might be necessary to employ roof pressure washing more often than suggested by professionals. You may want a monthly cleaning and add additional safety actions like gutter cleaning and bird proofing.
Not only can birds cause a huge mess, they can also cause damage to your solar panel equipment.
What is the best way to clean solar panels – pressure washing vs. soft washing?
It may seem like a good idea to use a pressure washer and blast your solar-powered equipment from the ground. After all, you won’t have to use the ladder, no? Well, we highly advise that you don’t do that by yourself! Pressure washing should only be done by professionals. So, if you don’t plan on hiring solar panel cleaning Henderson services, forget about it. One of the ways you can damage your solar panels is washing them inadequately. If you use pressure washing, you can allow water to enter them. This won’t cause immediate failure of your equipment, but the water will sit there until it eats away the wires. And it will cause the panels to fail completely over time.
When it comes to pressure washing vs. soft washing, it’s better to choose the latter if you plan on doing it yourself.
Instead, what you can do is to use a low-pressure garden hose for soft washing your panels. Remember to not point it directly at the solar panels. Instead, arc the water stream so it falls on top of your panels, just like rain would. Your panels are designed to withstand rain, so there is no danger in applying this kind of washing. Just be careful not to blast water between the panels since the wires are there. Solar panels can reach a life span of around 25 years, and you certainly don’t want to shorten it with unnecessary exposure to water.
Should you wash the solar panels yourself?
You definitely could do the task of washing solar panels by yourself. However, the question is, should you? And the answer can depend on several factors like:
- Can you do it safely? Getting across the roof can be dangerous and not to mention that there is a high risk that you can damage your solar panels. It might be best to consider hiring professionals to do it for you. After all, solar panels don’t need excessive maintenance, and a visit by professionals can cost merely $100 or a bit more.
- Did you notice a drop in production? Your solar panels definitely need cleaning if you have noticed a drop in production. It’s best to make a habit of regularly checking your equipment. If you do this, you will be able to notice even the slightest change and react immediately. You may not notice from the ground that the panels are dirty, especially if you have black ones. That’s why regularly monitoring them is the best way to know if they need cleaning.
- Do you have a ground-mounted system? Cleaning will be much easier if you have this system. However, if you think that you can reach your panels safely, it might not be a trouble for you to get on a ladder and do some cleaning from time to time.
Pressure washing vs. soft washing – closing thoughts
Hopefully, after reading this article, you will understand just how important solar panel maintenance is. Whether you decide to hire professionals (and we hope you do) or to clean them yourself, remember that it’s crucial to do it properly. To summarize, pressure washing should be used only by trained professionals. If you wash your environmentally friendly equipment that way by yourself, you are risking damaging it beyond repair. To clean your solar-powered equipment by yourself, it’s best to use soft washing, but in such a way to imitate the falling rain.
