The Importance of Keeping Solar Panels Clean – Especially in Summer

Solar panels are a fantastic source of green, renewable and affordable energy, but it can be easy to forget about them once they’ve been installed.

Or if you’ve taken over a new property, perhaps no-one has given you any after care advice. Either way, neglect them and it could cost you more money than you’d bargained for, in both the short and the long term.

Why Is It so Important at This Time of Year?

Not only will solar panel cleaning extend their life, but you’ll see an instant reduction in your bills too, no more so than during the sunnier months. In Scotland the average number of daylight hours rises from just over 7 in midwinter, to around 17 and a 1/2 in midsummer. That’s over 600 more minutes of sun power for your panels. If on the other hand they’re dirty, they simply won’t soak up as much of that light, resulting in less renewable energy and bigger bills.

Can’t I Just Do It Myself ?

Depending where your panels are on your property, you may be tempted to have a go yourself – but there’s a couple of significant reasons why it’s better to leave it to the experts. For a start, it’s usually just not safe to attempt it: we have the proper equipment and trained staff who know exactly what they’re doing, enabling safe, swift access to hard to reach roof areas. The second reason it’s better not to simply roll up your sleeves and get scrubbing with the windolene and washing up liquid, is that solar panels need special treatment. We have a pure water cleaning system that clears away dirt thoroughly, but without damaging the panels. Not only does this prolong their lifespan, but it can optimise efficiency by as much as 25%.

How Often Should I Have Them Cleaned?

This will depend on your location. Some areas are more prone to a build up of dirt than others, but a general rule of thumb is 6-12 months for domestic dwellings, 6 months for commercial or industrial premises, and for city centre buildings gathering greater quantities of urban grime, every 4 months is recommended. Bird droppings can tarnish the surface of the panels, so if you have plenty of feathered visitors, you’ll need to increase your cleans too. March is a good time to arrange a spring clean booking, prior to daylight saving kicking in, as is late Autumn, when fallen leaves can cause obstruction and an extra level of debris – but whatever the time of year, if it’s been an age since you last had them spruced up, don’t delay.

It All Adds Up

Installing solar panels is a fantastic investment, but cutting corners when it comes to maintenance is false economising, not to mention reducing the positive environmental impact. Contact us today for a free quotation and to benefit from our expert services – because cleaner means greener, as well as more pounds in your pocket.