Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness

This is a tip for all of you loving parents of solar panels – keep those bad boys clean! It sounds simple, and painfully obvious, but the cleaner the glass is, the more sunlight can penetrate to the system and the more energy your system can produce. There it is.

Recently the techs did a few service calls in the area and while they were out, they checked on the panels and cleaned them. They also took down readings before and after each cleaning. They also noticed whether the meter was spinning forwards or backwards before the cleaning. In many cases, the results were dramatic. Homeowners found their meters were spinning backwards again, like it was a brand new system. In fact, cleaning those panels does turn your system into something of a brand new system.

Now how often to clean is the question. And the answer: that depends. Some areas, particularly those with new construction and flying debris will need to clean their panels more often, even every other week. Other areas, may notice that their panels are always clean, and in that case, great! Either way, regular maintenance of your system will keep it running at optimum and also get you in the habit of checking whether that green light is working too. Maybe get into a routine – every time you wash your car, turn the hose on your roof and clean the panels while you're at it. For panels with caked in dirt, a squeegee and some mild soap should do the trick. Keep abrasive scrubbers and cleaners away from the panels to avoid scratching the glass.

See you in the field!