How To Clean Solar Panels
Solar panels need direct sunlight to produce electricity. Similar to output reduction on overcast days, solar panels might produce less electricity when they get dirty.
In cases where solar panels are not exposed to much debris, they can often be sufficiently cleaned by natural rainfall. In areas with greater exposure to falling debris or particulate matter (PM) from dust and pollution, it could prove worthwhile to clean solar panels to improve production and optimize savings.
How To Clean Solar Panels With Mild Debris
If your panels have a slight amount of debris, rinse them off with a standard garden hose. Two feet on the ground and hose in hand. Don't use a pressure washer, as these can potentially damage panels and void your warranty. After spraying down the panels, you can leave them to air dry.
Many allow natural rainfall to do this trick for them. Solar panels have a slick surface and are positioned at a tilt, so rain rolls off and carries loose debris with it. Rain or a hose spray-down should be effective on slightly dusty solar panels.
How To Clean Dirty Solar Panels
If a hose-down isn’t cutting it because the grime is too sticky or the dust is too thick, then you’ll want to perform a good ol’ fashioned rub down.
Things you’ll need:
warm soapy water
a non-abrasive sponge
a hose — for pre-rinse and post wash off
mild detergent (optional addition for extra shine; don’t use anything stronger than you would use to wash your clothes)
The steps to clean your solar panels are simple:
Rinse off loose debris using your hose
Use the non-abrasive sponge to scrub the warm soapy water over the solar panel surfaces
Rinse away the suds with a final spray from your hose
Leave solar panels to dry in the sun
To avoid getting on the roof, it’s ideal to have scrubbing equipment that can reach your panels while both your feet are firmly planted on the ground.
If that’s not possible, there are robotic cleaners on the market that use little brushes and air pressure to clean solar panels.
If neither the ground option nor the robotic assistance work for you, then you can get on the roof for a more personal touch — just be sure to make safety a priority.
How To Safely Clean Solar Panels — Safety Recommendations
If you are walking atop your roof to clean your solar panels, there are a few considerations to make the task safer.
First, clean your solar panels in the morning or late afternoon when the scorching sun isn’t beating down on you.
Next, consider wearing a harness and hard hat. Professional solar panel cleaners often do this for the extra layer of protection.
Finally, be mindful. Careless action on the roof could lead to injury or unintended damage to your roof and solar panels.
What Is The Most Detrimental Debris
The most detrimental debris will depend on where you live. Fallen leaves can block sunlight. Smeared bird droppings can also lower solar panel efficiency.
Living in Texas, dust and pollen are likely to be the greatest culprits to impact your solar panels. The closer you live to major roads, farms, overhanging trees, or power plants, the heavier these debris layers will get.
Particulate matter from industrial pollution can lower solar panel productivity. Even with the recent closure of several coal-fired power plants, Texas still leads the country in number of coal plants that are not equipped with scrubbers — equipment that captures PM before it’s released to the atmosphere. Sulfate PM polluted from coal plants is a primary reason parts of Texas have a layer of haze that hangs in the air. Not only can this haze cause a filthy film of dust build-up on your solar panels, but it’s also harmful to human health.
A recent study looked at the impact PM had on solar panel efficiency in China and India. Pollution is downright horrible in certain regions of these countries. The study found that dust from these heavily polluted areas reduced solar energy production by as much as 25%!
That 25% figure is a significant number. But let's put it in perspective. The worst air quality day in Houston this past year hit PM concentrations of 129 µg/m3. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers this an ‘unhealthy' level. PM concentrations in Delhi, India obliterate Houston's worst day with recorded concentrations over 900 µg/m3. The EPA deems this concentration to be extremely hazardous.
So it’s unlikely that dust in your area is going to cause such a dramatic reduction in solar energy output. Even so, it could prove beneficial to clean your solar panels when they are dirty or under-produce. This could benefit your system and allow for greater utility bill savings.
Is It Worth It To Hire Professional Solar Panel Cleaners
If you are adamant about getting your solar panels cleaned and you want to pass the headache over to someone else, there are professional cleaning services that will do the job for you.
But is it worth it…?
To answer that, you have to ask yourself:
is the money you’ll save on your utility bill going to outweigh the costs of hiring professionals?
Often, the savings will not offset the cost of professional cleaning services.
Some studies suggest solar panel production loss up to 35% without a regular cleaning routine. However, this is something that will vary considerably from place to place.
Before hiring a cleaning service, let your solar system speak to you. It can be fun and interesting to tune into your energy generation. When you do, you’ll recognize if your system is under-producing.
If your system is under-producing, start with a simple rinse before working up to more thorough cleaning options.
Call Texas Best Solar today for a solar panel cleaning quote