Do Rooftop Solar Panels Need Cleaning

Yes you have to clean your rooftop solar panels and you have to clean them regularly.

Do rooftop solar panels need cleaning. In other parts of the world where rainfall levels are lower build up of dust and dirt can present more of an issue and panels may need to be cleaned more often to prevent a significant drop in output. If the sun is beating down on the panels any water used can quickly evaporate and dirt will become smeared. Most manufacturers recommend cleaning at least twice a year. One company selling an automated washing system says panels should be washed every couple of weeks.

You do not have to clean the wiring underneath. Grime will build up but eventually there will be sufficient rain to wash most of it off. This is because for most homes in australia rainfall is enough to keep solar panels reasonably clean. In the uk climate solar panels are largely self cleaning and deterioration in pv system output due to dust or dirt is rarely detectable even after 3 years.

Some say panels need an annual scrub others say quarterly. There are some times it might make sense to clean your solar panels though. In the uk the vast majority of domestic solar panel arrays don t need regular heavy duty cleaning thanks to the high levels of rainfall. According to the clean energy council 2018 also saw a 45 per cent growth in commercial solarpower systems.

Clean the surface of the solar panel with a soft cloth or sponge. In most cases you won t need to clean your solar panels often if at all. We ll get to the best way to clean your solar panels in a minute. There are some instances where solar panels might need cleaning but most of the evidence says solar panels are self sufficient and low maintenance.

Dirt on solar panels usually has very little effect on their performance. This tends to result in a 3 to 5 increase in efficiency. Consider getting professional solar panel cleaners to do the job. After all anything that accumulates dirt on them for example dust or pollen will get washed off the next time it rains.

The short answer is that it is unlikely to be worth it. The best way to clean solar panels is through professional help as of may 31 2020 australia now has more than 2 43 million solar power systems installed across rooftops. Show extra caution if cleaning your solar panels requires you to climb up on the roof. Companies specializing in cleaning solar panels generally say.

Customers often ask us if they should arrange to have their solar panels cleaned. Many homeowners opt to clean their own solar panels. You can include a solar panel cleaning as part of your spring cleaning routine.