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HOW I CLEAN MY SOLAR PANELS

Solar panels must be exposed to sunlight to produce energy and, therefore, to inclement weather.

However, unless you live somewhere with a high level of pollution, dust, sand or dirt, your  photovoltaic solar panels do not need to be cleaned frequently .

HOW I CLEAN MY SOLAR PANELS

In most cases, the rain is more than enough to keep the solar panels clean.

Although it may be a good idea to “water” photovoltaic panels occasionally if you live in some area with contaminants in the air.

Below, you will find the answers to the main questions that owners of self-consumption facilities have about the maintenance of solar panels.

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One of the reasons for the good function of the solar panels is the cleaning of the same, in this part you can learn how to clean solar panels .

You can clean the solar panels in different ways, yourself, by your installer or specialized company.

HOW DO I CLEAN MY SOLAR PANELS?

You must clean the solar panels. This is one of the largest   inconven i bodies of the solar panels  . In many cases, you can not clean the solar panels yourself because it is too dangerous to climb the roof without the proper equipment and experience.

What are the reasons why the solar panels get dirty?

Solar panels   can get dirty due to:

  • Fine dust in the air
  • Field dust
  • Sand of the sea or by the sirocco.
  • Bird droppings
  • Moss
  • Arbole leaf

All these factors contribute to reduce the   efficiency of solar panels  . In extreme cases, the return loss is up to 20%!

Fortunately, the solar panels can be cleaned. When your roof is easy to reach, you can do it yourself. Although this is not recommended due to the risks.

You can also make arrangements with your solar panel installer to clean your solar panels several times a year. You can record this in the maintenance contract. 

There are also many specialized companies that come to clean their solar panels with the right resources and trained personnel.

What products should I use to clean the solar panels?

Demolish the panels with soft sponges and detergent, rinse well and go!

The material is very important when cleaning solar panels. Poor material can cause damage or solar panels can not be cleaned enough. Clean the solar panels with water and a soft brush, soap is not needed.

For water that uses osmosis water, this is pure water that leaves no residue or scratches on the solar panels.

NEVER  clean your solar panels with a high pressure cleaner.

Always use a soft brush, preferably made of nylon. These do not scratch or damage and clean very well.

No abrasive cleaners, metal sponges, Cif can damage the panels and reduce their performance

How often do you have to clean the solar panels?

During periods of heavy rain, solar panels should be cleaned less. In the spring and summer, when many farmers work on land, the birds are back in the country and it is relatively drier, the solar panels must be cleaned more frequently.

Normally, three or four times a year should be enough. Once during autumn-winter and two or three times during spring and summer in many cases they are more than enough.

Self-cleaning solar panels

Self-cleaning solar panels have been gaining popularity in recent years. These solar panels are equipped with nozzles.

 These usually work in 2 phases. A phase in which the solar panel is cleaned with a mixture of water and cleansing soap. In the second phase, the soap residues are sprayed with water. Because the water pressure is so low, these nozzles do not damage the solar panels.

HOW I CLEAN MY SOLAR PANELS

What cleaning products should be used to clean the solar panels?

The most important aspect to keep in mind if you are  cleaning your solar panels  is that  you  should  not scratch or damage the glass  since doing so will reduce to a greater or lesser extent the  energy production of that panel.  

The best way to clean is:

  • With warm water and dishwashing soap and perform the cleaning carefully, in the same way you would when cleaning your new vehicle.
  • Use a squeegee to remove dirty water.

REMEMBER: AVOID DAMAGING OR SCRATCHING THE GLASS OF THE PLATE AT ALL COSTS

If you live near a road with a high frequency of trucks or near an airport, oily stains may appear on your plates. It is easily and simply eliminated using a little isopropyl alcohol and a cloth. However, the use of “strong” cleaning products is discouraged as they can damage or even scratch the glass. 

Is it worth paying for a photovoltaic solar panel cleaning service?

Like going to a car wash, there are professional options that will be responsible for cleaning and maintaining your solar panels for self-consumption for you: your  solar panel installer  can even do it for you, in exchange for a fee.

If your installation is on your roof or roof and it is difficult to access, it is advisable that you hire the services of a professional for security reasons.

Cleaning services will not do a significantly different or better job than you can (they will simply make your solar panels stop being dirty), but they are equipped to clean and maintain the cells in a safe way.

In case you have photovoltaic panels installed on the ground, it is not worth hiring the services of a cleaning professional since you can clean the panels yourself with a hose, a bit of dish soap and a soft cloth.

https://photovoltaicsolarenergy.org/solar-energy/photovoltaic-systems/

Should you remove the snow from your solar panels?

Generally, it is not necessary to remove the snow from the solar panels since it will slide by itself. Most solar panel installations are tilted at a certain angle, and the snow will naturally shift as it melts as a result of gravity. 

If you notice that the snow persists in the panels, you can buy a specific roof rake for solar panels with snow. The use of this type of tools allows you to eliminate snow safely and without damaging or scratching these and consequently decrease your energy production.

For this reason, it is important not to use a standard broom, shovel or other non-specialized tool to remove snow from solar panels.

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