Did you know that you have to clean your solar panels to get maximum efficiency out of them?
Dirty Solar Panels Could Be Losing 30% Efficiency
Whether it’s removing springtime pollen or urban pollution, cleaning your solar panels will improve their efficiency and make them last longer.
Many of us have solar panels installed for clean energy and cheaper electric bills. These panels are exposed every day to the heat, weather, dust and pollutants thus blocking their ability to use the full effect of the sun’s energy and reducing the life of the panels.
Pollution, traffic, dust, leaves and even bird droppings contribute to preventing sunlight from reaching the solar cells in your solar panels. The more dirt – the less electricity they will produce.
Why Rainwater Will Not Clean Your Solar Panels
Some might say the rain will wash them off, but if that were the case, nobody would wash their car. A good way to illustrate why rainwater will not clean solar panels is by looking at your car windshield. If you didn’t clean your windshield for 6 months, how much visibility would you lose? If left, the grime on your windshield would accumulate and eventually ‘green’ over. Even if the car is rained on, the rain contains airborne dust particles that settle and attach to the surface after the rainwater evaporates. When we use our windshield wipers, we clean the center of the screen, but where the wipers do not reach, there is a film of dirt.
The whole of your solar panel is in exactly the same condition as the edge of your car windshield because they are both exposed to the same elements. Visibility through your windshield is lost due to the loss of light. Therefore, the same principles hold true for solar panel cleaning. It is very important to maximize the light getting into the solar panel and in turn, increase your financial reward.
So in conclusion, solar panel cleaning is not that different from cleaning your car windshield. A solar panel typically consists of solar cells covered by a protective glass coating. Just like your car windshield, the longer it is outside the dirtier it will get.
Schedule Your Solar Panels Cleaning Now!
Professional Solar Panel Cleaning is the Way to Go
You may think that cleaning your solar panels is simple and a task that you can do on your own without professional assistance. But, keep in mind that professional solar panel cleaners are experienced with working on roofs and have all the necessary safety equipment to ensure they don’t take a dangerous fall. It’s always advised that if you want to clean your own solar panels that you do it by implementing a long-handled cleaning tool that allows you to reach the panels from the ground.
Additionally, you may not want to add another chore to your to-do list, especially one that comes with a risk of falling (if you decide to clean them from the roof).
Since the panels have an anti-reflective coating you must also be careful not to wash your panels with harsh chemicals as they may damage the anti-reflective coating on your solar panels and cause a decrease in reflective efficiency. Reflective efficiency is when more light is captured and converted into energy, reducing the amount of light that bounces away.
How We Clean Solar Panels
Our company is fully trained and insured to clean solar panels, offering you complete peace of mind. We are able to clean both roof and ground mounted solar arrays with ease.
Manufacturers DO NOT recommend the use of harmful chemicals or detergents to clean Solar Panels. However, they do encourage solar panels to be cleaned every six to twelve months, especially before the onset of summer and winter. Manufacturers also agree that regular cleaning will preserve their limited warranty and maintain optimum output performance of the solar modules.
Our teams are fully equipped with the right tools and they are trained to complete the cleaning procedure in the correct way. When cleaning the panels we use a very light force of water because high pressure can split the seals, which could cause damage to the system and affect warranties. Our professionals work carefully, they understand the requirements of this system and they use the most professional approach during the whole process. Hire us to get your solar panels entirely clean!
Purified Water
Rain is not enough to clean solar panels. Tap water and chemicals can leave a residue on the panels that can encourage dirt to accumulate. The harshness of untreated water can leave marks behind containing mineral deposits, especially in hard water areas. Untreated water marks can actually attract dirt as well as being an inefficient cleaning process. Detergent will also leave a residual layer on top of the panels, lowering the absorption ability of the panels.
Blue Flamingo SoftWash uses a 100% Pure Water fed pole system, with NO need for harmful chemicals or detergents; it is an eco-friendly cleaning process delivered to you both safely and efficiently. This will even help achieve a streak free finish, and using a resin will also help with the water hardness in your area!
Our eco-friendly cleaning process has excellent results that ensures you are getting the most out of your solar PV System.
We clean both residential and commercial solar panels even the high and hard to reach units. Give us a call or text today for a FREE quote!
Facts About Cleaning Solar Panels
These facts about cleaning solar panels explain why keeping them clean is so important.
Dust and Leaves Block Sunlight
Over the years, it’s common for dust and leaves to accumulate on your solar panels. They’re just like any other surface in wich grime builds up over time if you don’t remove it. While a small amount of dust or just a few leaves won’t affect the efficiency of your solar panels much, if you let dust and leaves fully cover the panels’ surfaces, less sunlight will get through to the solar panel receptors. Therefore, your solar panels won’t be absorbing as much light as possible, making them work harder than necessary.
Bird Droppings Block Sunlight
Energy Loss is Real
Studies show that by not cleaning your solar panels regularly, you’ll have a 5% energy loss after just three months. This increases by 5% every three months that you go without cleaning your solar panels until you’re experiencing a 35% energy loss 24 months after you’ve installed your solar panels. This means you’re spending more money for energy than you should be because your solar panels aren’t working efficiently.
Exposure to extraordinary salt or chemicals will void solar panel warranty.
This point is extremely important when you’re installing modules in maritime locations near the coast, which will inevitably expose your modules to salt mist. If the salt mist is degrading your solar modules (which it will over time), most manufacturers are not going to cover this. These solar systems will require more frequent cleaning.
One part of maintaining solar panels is making sure your solar panels are kept clean. Not cleaning solar panels can result in voiding the manufacturer’s warranty. Warranties assume the product is treated with the highest level of care possible. Undertaking regular maintenance ensures that the warranty remains valid and protects the value of the product. If solar panels are left in a dirty condition, they may begin to suffer from corrosion issues that will not be covered by the product’s manufacturer warranty. So, it is absolutely vital to clean these panels regularly.
Are you interested in our exterior cleaning Maintenance Program?
Schedule Your Solar Panels Cleaning Now!
Amazing Results
In comparison to its competition, Blue Flamingo SoftWash incorporates a safer, biodegradable, and phosphate-free solution to sanitize, penetrate bacteria, and eradicate the root cause to produce a long-lasting, deep clean result.
Take a look at our gallery to see the roofs renewed by being soft washed with 100% eco-friendly chemicals.
How Often Do Solar Panels Need Cleaning?
Every solar array is unique and depending upon different environmental factors will therefore determine the frequency of each clean. How often you need to clean your solar panels will depend on your location. Surface buildup varies greatly between sites, and it’s not just about geography. Sites that are only a few miles apart can have very different requirements, depending on their proximity to forests and pollinating plants, or exposure to pollution. Special attention should be given to solar arrays situated in dustier areas, for example; near farmland, the beach or next to a main road, freeway, airport, or industrial area that emits pollution. These solar systems will require more frequent cleaning as the dust build up will be considerably more and the larger the array, the bigger the loss of return is for the owner.
Blue Flamingo SoftWash also offers exterior cleaning maintenance plans according to your needs. Regular maintenance also ensures warranty compliance and extends the lifespan of your system. Keeping your solar panels operating efficiently is our top priority.
We provide an excellent quality cleaning of solar panels increasing output and decreasing the risk of long-term damage from hotspots.
What Is the Best Time of Year for Cleaning Solar Panels?
Trees and plants can create a lot of debris. Cleaning your solar panels after the spring pollen season will help them soak up more summer sunshine. A second cleaning in autumn after the leaves have fallen will help keep them productive during the shorter days of winter.
Spring and fall are also the best times to clean up messes from birds, insects, and animals. Bugs and critters are most active in the spring and summer and least active during the winter.
Dust, smoke, soot, and pollution can build up during any season. The best time for cleaning solar panels to get rid of soot from forest fires is usually late autumn. Urban air pollution can also affect the output of your solar panels. Depending on the local air quality, your panels may need cleaning several times a year.
No one really thinks about cleaning their solar panels until they realize how much energy (and money) they’re losing by allowing dust and debris to build up on them. Add solar panel cleaning to your regular house maintenance schedule and you’ll keep reaping the maximum energy production from your solar panels.
CONCLUSION
YOU CAN TRUST US
We have been given the seal of approval from The Seal!
Why Choose Us?
Benefits of Using Blue Flamingo SoftWash
- Extend the life of your roof
- Boost the look of your home
- Prevent expensive roof replacement
- Many health advantages
- Extend the life of your roof
- Many health advantages
- Prevent expensive roof replacement
- Boost the look of your home
Get in Touch Today!
Use our quick contact form or give us a call for a free quote then schedule a time for us to come out and make your life cleaner and easier.
1. GET YOUR QUOTE
Ready to restore your exterior surfaces? Fill out one of our easy forms or call today and one of our specialists will get you a free estimate. Contact us today!
2. GET SCHEDULED
We specialize in the removal of mold, mildew, algae, dirt and other stains from residential, commercial and multi-unit property exterior surfaces. Schedule a time to allow one of our professionals to make your property exceptionally clean!
3. RELAX
Sit back, relax and focus on the things that really matter, like running your business. Our highly skilled team will be more than happy to arrive ready to improve your image and decrease your stress.