Solar Panel cleaning- Why, when and how?

With more and more solar panel systems being added to homes and businesses, solar customers are beginning to understand that keeping the panels clean is vital to insure they are operating and producing energy efficiently.

Dirt, dust, air pollutants, moss/algae, bird droppings etc.on solar panel glass or lenses, all contribute negatively to power generation by restricting sunlight from reaching the actual photovoltaic cells. Cleaning the lenses annually solves this problem.

Proper cleaning requires brushing (!) the solar panels along with rinsing. Rinsing alone helps some, but without brushing the lenses too, the panels will quickly return to a dirty state.

Another gigantic concern when getting your solar panels cleaned, is potential roof damage. A majority of solar system installations today are on tile roofs. Most times the roof must be walked upon to get access to the panels. Be sure you’re dealing with experienced professionals to avoid roof damage and/or personal injury to the worker. Understand they will be on your steep, and soon very slippery roof with bulky tools and water hoses. This is a dangerous mixture.

As former roofing contractors for over 20 years, roofs are second nature to us here at Coastal Softwash USA. We clean hundreds of solar panels (and everything else on the exterior) every year, and not only do we brush and rinse them, but we then clean them using pure filtered water through water fed poles and expensive truck mounted equipment. This gives you ‘more bang for your buck’ by making them almost spot free and extending the time between necessary cleanings.

Visit our website at CoastalSoftwashUSA.com or give us a call at 805-678-0703 or 310-734-1434.