Solar panel cleaning is usually the last thing on a prospective green candidate’s mind when it comes to installing a solar panel system on their home or business. It is more common to think about how much the cost of the system will be and the potential energy savings.
Does filthy panels really matter?
The external surfaces of your panels are designed to capture daylight and convert that to usable electricity so anything that hinders the ability of the panels to capture daylight will decrease the amount of generated electricity. This decrease will cut into your energy savings. Unlike a car that can be left grimy for months at a time with no impact, your solar panels will perform less efficiently.
What makes solar panels grimy?
Solar panel cleaning is typically mounted high atop a home or business leaving it susceptible to all elements of nature. Earth, which comes in many forms, has the biggest impact. Earth can be loose soil or sand starting from the earliest stage, or grime. All of which becomes airborne potentially mixing with other substances in the air and eventually finding its way onto your solar panels. During the nighttime, moisture becomes a problem leading to water spots facilitating quicker accumulation of soil. Bugs, insects, and winged animal droppings are yet more nuisance creating further maintenance needs.
Solar Panel Cleaning Solutions:
One option for keeping your solar panels clean is to focus in and get a good cleaning unit to help you easily and rapidly clean your panels. The frequency of cleaning depends on your neighborhood and how rapidly your solar panels get grimy.
Another option is employ an automated cleaning system that will clean your solar panels at a set interval. An automated cleaning system is a good option to eliminate the cleaning care for your system yet will add to the overall cost of your solar panel system.
Lastly, you can consider a cleaning service with a local service provider:
Deciding which options are best suited for your needs depends largely on the impact to your energy savings. On the off chance that your solar panels get filthy on a frequent basis, then you will benefit from an automated cleaning system. On the other hand, for areas of less soil saturation, manual care or periodic cleaning service makes more sense.