Solar Panel Cleaning
Sydney and NSW Solar Panel Cleaning Specialists
If you panels have a significant amount of dirt or grime built up on them, it will impact your systems performance. There are a few key factors that will impact how quickly your panels will build up dirt and grime. Things like flat mounted panels or panels without much pitch up build up more quickly due to “pooling”. Plus, where you live and what is around your home can also significantly impact how quickly they build up with enough grit to require a good clean.Â
Cleaning your panels can help increase your systems efficiency, reduce the systems payback period and in turn increase your energy bill savings!
Do Your Panels Look Like This?
Do Solar Panels Need Cleaning?
If they are dirty, the most defiantly do need cleaning.
Will they get dirty enough to need cleaning is a better question though. Site specific variables will impact if you panels need cleaning more than anything. As mentioned above, things like the pitch of the panel and what the environment around the system is like will have the biggest impact.Â
Why Do Dirty Panels Need To Be Cleaned?
Most solar systems installed in Australia are 1,2 or 3 arrays that feed back into one central string inverter. Due to the way these systems are installed if one panel in an array has a loss in performance, it impacts all of the panels in the same array. That is the key reason why it is important to keep them all clean.Â
How Much Does It Cost To Get Solar Panels Cleaned?
The cost to get your solar panels cleaned will fluctuate based on a few key factors.
How big your system is (I.E. how many panels)?
How many storeys your home is?
The quality of work carried out?Â
These are just a few factors however, the best thing to do is request a free solar panel cleaning quote and find out for your specific scenario how much it would be.
Bird Poo And Solar Panels
Solar panels really don’t like bird poo. A layer of dust or grime is one thing but not much sunlight can get through a bird poo which can then impact the energy output big time.Â
If your home has trees around it which might be the perfect home for birds, you might need to keep your eye out for bird poo. If your panels have been impacted by birds, it is good to get it cleaned as soon as possible.
How Do Are Solar Panels Cleaned?
There is no easy way to do it.
The best way to clean solar panels is by hand on the roof with water and brushes on the softer end of the spectrum.Â
While solar panels are designed to work for decades in the wear and tear of the elements, things like high pressure gurneys are too risky to use on solar panels. They can break their factory sealing and impact their encapsulation which can not only void their warranty but break them all together.Â
To put it into context, a regular hose is around 50 PSI or 50 pounds per square inch of pressure. A commercial gurney will come out at around 3000 – 4000 psi and at peak can easily be over 5000 psi. So when water is coming in at around 100 times the pressure of your tap, it is no surprise it can cause damage. Leave the gurney for bricks and pavers.Â
