Whether you’re a first-time owner or you’ve had residential solar panels for years, many people overlook the need for solar panel cleaning as part of their investment. Depending on the seasons and the weather in your area, as well as dirt and debris, you’ll need to regularly clean your solar panels to clear off anything that will reduce your system’s efficiency.
If you’re looking to keep your residential solar panels or commercial solar panels in tip-top shape, your next step will probably be searching “how to clean solar panels” or looking up “solar panel cleaning near me.” To help get you started, here are several tips and tricks to help make your choices for solar panel maintenance convenient and smart.
If you choose to clean the solar panels yourself, personal safety should always come first when performing solar panel maintenance. Refer to your owner or instruction manual and locate how to shut off your solar panel system before starting your cleaning process. This ensures that you won’t damage your solar panels while keeping yourself safe from any electrical issues.
Water that comes straight from the faucet or hose is considered “hard water” and contains minerals that can leave deposits, water spots, and scaling on your solar panels. This accumulation can reduce your solar panel’s energy output and ultimately cause serious damage to your system.
To reduce the effects of hard water on solar panel cleaning, one option is to get a whole house water softener – which can also protect your entire plumbing system from scaling. Or you could consider an automated solar panel cleaning system with additional benefits. Designed with a proprietary purifying system, the RST Cleantech Solutions utilizes advanced water engineering to treat water scaling and corrosion in any local water source while automating the process of solar panel maintenance.
Due to sitting in the sun all day, your solar panels can reach very high temperatures that can create issues when trying to clean them. Using cold water on these hot panels can cause cracking in the tempered glass and cause damage that voids your solar panel’s warranty.
However, the RST Cleantech Solutions system provides a solution to this issue by operating at night when your solar panel is cooled down and optimized for cleaning. As a cost-effective automated system, it will ensure your solar panels are cleaned on a regular basis while preventing any damage to your system.
If you decide to go the DIY route, make sure you do your research before tackling the buildup on your solar panels. Although built to withstand the elements, solar panels are sensitive to abrasive materials and many chemicals found in household cleaners. The best way to clean solar panels on your own is with a bucket of water, a non-abrasive sponge, and soapy water made with mild dishwashing liquid – and cleaning when your panels have cooled down. You should always avoid detergents and high-pressure water attachments which can permanently affect your solar panels.
If you’re looking for an easier option, the RST Cleantech Solutions system is designed to work without the use of chemicals or abrasive brushes to clean solar panels. With a filter designed to be replaced once a year, this automated system can also reduce the solar panel maintenance costs of soap refills, hiring a maintenance service, and unnecessary damage to your solar panel system.
