Property Cleaning Services

When Should You Clean Solar Panels?

The most obvious indication that your panels need cleaning is when you see a decrease in PV system performance. It’s natural for there to be daily, weekly, or seasonal fluctuations in solar power generation. But prolonged and unexpected decreases in output is a sign that something is wrong. PV panel cleaning is the easiest and cheapest of all troubleshooting steps – which is why many customers start here first. If more drastic intervention is required, you may need to invest in solar panel maintenance to restore modules to former production levels.

Some homeowners and businesses schedule periodic cleanings throughout the year – based on local conditions:

• Cleaning panels after snow season makes a lot of sense in northern climates
• Solar panel cleaning is also common during the end of autumn, when the leaves stop falling
• The same is true in late spring when pollen counts start to go down again
• Rain water is not sufficient for cleaning – like how leaving a dirty car out in the rain doesn’t automatically make it clean. In fact, carwashes are often busiest right after a heavy storm.
• Those who live in arid solar hot spots like California or Arizona might schedule panel cleaning during the driest times of the year when dust buildup threatens system performance.
• Which frequency to choose for your own solar panels is ultimately a personal choice. But if you’re not generating the utility bill savings you were hoping for, cleaning your modules could help boost performance. This is especially true if you live in a region with excessive dust, pollen, pollution, foliage, or snow.
• Bird droppings aren’t something that easily washes off with rain – meaning solar panel cleaning may be unavoidable. The same goes for PV modules installed horizontally. Flatter solar panels tend to collect more dust, and thus, require more frequent washing.

In addition, these cleaning requirements can grow considerably as the number of panels increases. Mega solar farms must constantly clean their modules as even minute performance dips can lead to huge losses when multiplied across thousands of panels.

As a residential or commercial solar customer, you won’t have to stick to this same schedule. But it’s important you understand the potential benefits of giving your panels an occasional wash.