How Much Does it Cost to Clean Your Solar Panels?
Have you started noticing a drop in output and limited performance from your solar system? Don't stress! Your mind may immediately go to a list of potential problems, from electrical issues to faulty components. This reduced energy generation is likely a result of dirty solar panels. Dirt, dust, debris and general build-up of grime are some of the most common factors affecting the performance of solar systems. Luckily, there is a relatively easy fix for this - clean your solar panels. Today, we’ll review the best avenues and important considerations to ensure your panels stay squeaky clean.
Key Takeaways:
Dirty Panels Reduce Efficiency Significantly
A buildup of dust, debris, bird droppings, and environmental grime can reduce solar panel efficiency by 5% to 35%, impacting your energy output and return on investment. Regular cleaning ensures optimal performance and longevity.Climate and Location Affect Cleaning Frequency
Factors like coastal salt air, dry dusty conditions, storms, or flat panel installations can accelerate grime buildup. These require more frequent maintenance to avoid damage and maintain system health.Professional Cleaning Is Safer and Often More Cost-Effective
While DIY cleaning is possible, professional services are safer, help maintain warranties, and can spot potential issues early. From $30 per panel, professional cleaning provides strong value and peace of mind.Annual Cleaning is Recommended
Cleaning at least once a year is ideal for most systems, with more frequent checks based on your environment. Visual inspections and monitoring performance dips are good indicators that it’s time for maintenance.
The Importance of Cleaning Your Solar Panels
As you go about your day, take a moment to look at the houses around you, especially the ones with solar panels. You’ll likely notice many of them are covered in grime, moss, or a layer of dust and debris. While it might not seem like a big deal, this buildup can significantly reduce the system’s performance, especially over time.
Solar is a long-term investment, and like any valuable asset, it needs a little care to perform at its best. The good news? It doesn’t take a lot of effort—just some basic upkeep to ensure your system is operating at peak efficiency. After all, installing solar isn’t cheap, and when you’ve spent time and money choosing the right setup, it makes sense to protect that investment.
Dirt, dust, and other debris can reduce your solar system’s output by anywhere from 5% to 35%. That’s a significant drop in performance, which can create a noticeable gap between your expected savings and the actual energy your system generates.
It’s also worth noting that many solar panel manufacturers require regular cleaning and maintenance to keep warranties valid—so it’s not just about performance, it’s about peace of mind, too.
What Causes Solar Panels to Become Dirty?
There are a number of reasons your panels will need to be cleaned from locational factors to everyday wear that applies to all solar homes.
General Debris
As solar panels are on the roof and exposed to the elements 24/7, a buildup of dirt and debris on the surface is expected. While it is perfectly normal, it can still cause a significant reduction in the overall power output of the array, as the layer of grime blocks the sun’s rays from reaching the silicon. This will eventually lead to a reduction in the panel's energy conversion abilities.
Seasonal Solar Cleaning
Sometimes, it seems as though your solar can never catch a break; with each season comes different challenges for solar production. In Autumn, the falling leaves may obstruct the panel's ability to absorb light, and in Spring, the pollen can create a film on the surface of the panels. It's important to identify the seasons/times of year when your panels need the most attention and ensure you’re prepared for this.
The Climate Where You Live
Your climate and location play a big role in how frequently you’ll need to clean your panels. A few environmental factors will accelerate the buildup rate on the surface of your panels.
Living on the Coast:
The salty seaside air can be detrimental to the performance and structural integrity of your solar panels in the long term. The ever-present salt in the air can be corrosive to the panel components, so to protect your investment, you’ll need to clean your panels more regularly.
Living a dry area:
Living in a dry or drought-prone area can also increase the frequency of necessary panel cleaning. The increased dust will settle on the panel's surface, creating a film that obstructs the sunlight from reaching the silicon and reducing overall exposure.
Living in a storm-prone area:
If you live in an area with frequent or strong storms, you’ll need to regularly clean and perform maintenance checks on your panels. This is due to the added debris, rainwater and potential increased stress on the modules' structural integrity.
Bird Droppings
Although one is unlikely to have you seeing any difference in your output, over time as they accumulate they can cause significant issues. Unlike dust, with bird droppings the rain is unlikely to have any success in cleaning or removing them. As time goes on you will likely find they have a considerable impact on system output.
Panel Angle & Dirt Accumulation
Your solar array will often be installed at a slight tilted angle in order to maximise energy generation across the day. The downside to this is that dirt, dust and grime will often accumulate in the grooves around the panel frame. Over time this can cause a significant obstruction to sunlight, preventing it from reaching the silicon crystals for conversion. Additionally leaving your panels in this condition, with uneven sunlight exposure can cause hotspots to develop, this basically means certain areas/sections of the panel will begin to overheat. It's vital to avoid this happening to prevent damage to the module, a significant or complete drop in production and the increase in fire risk.
How Often Do I Need to Clean My Panels?
To avoid the headache of lost performance and panel damage, it is recommended that you clean your panels around once every year. At the very leas,t you should be carrying out this process once every two to three years, though this is the minimum. Consistent and thorough cleaning of a PV array ensures your solar is operating at an optimal level and prolongs the lifespan of your solar system.
How Do I Know When to Clean My Solar?
There are a few clear signs that will give you a good indication that it may be time to have your panels cleaned/maintenanced.
Visual Inspection
This is the most simple way of knowing whether or not it's time to clean your solar panels. Check for layers of dust, pollen buildup, bird droppings or any other obstructions.
Reduced Performance
If you notice a sudden increase in your electricity bills or your performance monitoring system indicates a dip in production it might be time to clean your solar array.
Panel Array with No Tilt
Some solar installations are designed with little to no tilt, this limits the ability of rainfall to clean the panels. A flat solar array is likely to accumulate dust and dirt at an increased rate.
Inverter Operation
Another good indicator of lost production or any other issues within the solar system is your inverter. Check the lights displayed, if your inverter is displaying a green light the system is operating as it should.
Professional Solar Panel Cleaning
It is highly recommended that you hire a professional to clean your PV array. This is regarded as the best option as it ensures that the work is done safely by trained professionals accustomed to being on the roof. Their added knowledge of solar installation also means they will be able to spot potential issues or faults while they're up there. Additionally, you can be certain that the right products and tools are being used, preventing further damage to the panels.
What are the Costs of Panel Cleaning
It's difficult to give exact pricing on this service due to the variations based on system size, design complexity and location. On average, for residential solar installations, the price starts from $450 for complete system maintenance. For just the panel cleaning alone, you can expect to pay starting from $30 per panel.
Benefits of Professional Solar Panel Cleaning
Safety:
Climbing onto your roof to clean solar panels can be risky, especially without the proper training, equipment, or safety protocols. Professional cleaners are equipped with the proper tools, harnesses, and techniques to work safely at heights. They know how to avoid damaging your panels or voiding your warranty, all while keeping themselves and your property safe. Why take the risk when a professional can handle it safely and efficiently?
Warranty:
Some solar panel manufacturers require regular maintenance and cleaning to honour their warranties. By conducting proper maintenance and checks on your array, you are not only reducing the chance of ever needing to claim by prolonging system health and lifespan. But you are also guaranteeing that should you ever need to make a claim, the manufacturer will honour their warranty conditions.
Improved ROI:
Solar is a considerable investment, so why not ensure you get the most out of your system? The overall cost of professional solar cleaning is low compared to a healthy system's continued benefits. Plus, by using a professional cleaning service, you ensure only the right materials and processes are used, preventing panel damage. Simply put, the more energy your panel produces, the quicker your payback period will be.
Expertise & Peace of Mind:
Having a professional clean your solar panel brings more benefits and peace of mind than doing it yourself. They have experience in the industry and a well-trained eye to help you spot any other faults or potential problems with the system while they are on the roof. Additionally, it saves you time! Not only will a professional be able to carry out this process faster, but it also gives you time to do the things you need or want to be doing.
Cleaning Your Solar Panels Yourself
Despite the benefits of professional solar cleaning, many still choose to perform this task themselves. This is usually due to the common misconception that doing it yourself will be cheaper, yet this isn't necessarily true. You will often spend more when you’ve bought the right products, tools, and PPE. Should you skip purchasing the right equipment and instead use things you already have at home, you could be costing yourself even more. If you were to use the wrong cleaning chemicals or brushes, for example, you could risk doing serious damage to your system and, as such, would be leaving yourself no other choice but to either pay to replace the damaged components or accept a system that severely underperforms when compared with the time of installation.
Not to mention the safety aspects, there is a great risk, especially if you go without the necessary protective equipment, that you could hurt yourself on the roof. The risk to your safety isn't worth the savings, especially at only $30 per panel.
But if you have the skills and you're willing to spend the money on adequate equipment then you can follow this step by step guide on the safest and most effective way to clean your PV modules yourself.
Cleaning Your Solar Panels: A Step by Step Guide
Before You Begin:
First things first, safety. Make sure you have all the necessary PPE before you start. This includes a harness, gloves (preferably rated for resistance to electrical currents), and boots rated for resistance to electrical currents (or, at the very least, boots with thick rubber soles). Wearing a hard hat when working at heights is also a good idea.
Additionally, a bit of planning and preparation goes a long way. Scout out the point on your property where you think it would be easiest and safest to access the roof. Check that the ladder you plan on using is long enough to reach the roof easily and sturdy enough to bear your weight even while moving your equipment onto and off the roof.
1) Make Sure Your Solar System Is Switched OFF
This initial step is one of the most important in this process, it ensures there are no live electrical currents that can pose a significant risk to anyone working on the roof. Ensuring you also follow the correct ‘shut down’ procedures for your particular system is vital.
2) Rinse Off Your Panels
Start by washing your panels with running water, this will remove the top layer of grime and dust. Avoid using a pressure washer as these can be too harsh for PV modules. Instead, a garden hose will do just fine.
3) Prepare Soap Solution
It is best to start by mixing water with a solar-approved cleaning product, or if you’re in a pinch, glass cleaner will do. Avoid using harsh chemicals or other household cleaners that may damage your panels. Studies have found that even simple dishwashing liquid can limit energy production due to decreased light transmission.
4) Begin Washing Your Solar Panels
The key point to remember when washing PV modules is to work carefully. This technology can turn the sun's rays into electricity and be delicate. To avoid damaging your panels, you should use either a SOFT cloth or sponge and apply this to the surface GENTLY. For tough areas, you can also try using a brushy; to avoid scratching the surface, make sure the bristles are soft.
5) Rinse Thoroughly
Repeat the rinsing process with no pressure washers, as they can be too harsh on the panel surface. Ensure all dirt, grime and cleaning solutions have been thoroughly rinsed off the panel. Pay close attention to the corners and edges, especially around the frame.
6) Making Sure Your Panels Are Completely Dry
Now that you’ve put all the effort into cleaning your solar panels, it would be a shame for all of them to be ruined by watermarks. To prevent this, use a soft cloth to dry the surface. Make sure the cloth you’ve chosen is clean and dry to prevent adding more dirt or dust to the freshly cleaned panel.
Conclusion
Keeping your solar panels clean is one of the best ways to ensure you continue making the most of your solar investment for years to come. It ensures your panels produce energy at an optimal level for longer. We strongly recommend hiring a professional solar cleaning service to carry out this task for you although if you do wish to have a go yourself then there are a few precautions and points to consider to ensure your own safety and prevent damage to your solar system.
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