Common Mistakes To Avoid When Cleaning Solar Panels
Cleaning solar panels is fundamentally important. When clean, solar panels produce 5-10% more energy than when they are covered in detritus or dirt. Clean solar panels often last longer too because their structural integrity is not under pressure from holding up branches, birds’ nests or other debris. In this article we discuss the best way to clean solar panels by emphasising several common mistakes to avoid when doing this.
Lack of Preparation
Preparing properly for cleaning up solar panels is fundamental to doing a good job. Gathering the right equipment and tools is crucial to ensuring you can clean properly. A ladder, non-corrosive cleaning materials, water and a squeegee are necessary to clean a solar panel or set of solar panels correctly. Eco-friendly cleaning solutions are your friend too when it comes to cleaning your photovoltaic panels. Your house environment will thank you if you use cleaning chemicals that can be digested by the ecosystem.
Using Abrasive or Harsh Cleaning Materials
If you use harsh cleaning chemicals to wash down your solar panels you enable the risk of damaging the sensitive materials that line their surface. Similarly, if you use abrasive brushes to scrub clean your panels you may scratch them and run the risk of them catching sun rays in a less efficient way. Instead, soft brushes, sponges and squeegees may be used to gently clean the surface of your solar panels from dirt and grime.
Incorrect Cleaning Technique
Solar panels should not be cleaned forcefully or the primary risk of cracking their surface can manifest. Solar panels should be scrubbed gently with ecologically-friendly cleaning agent and a soft cloth or sponge and wiped down with water and a squeegee afterwards. This method may be repeated multiple times with slowly incrementing force to ensure that all detritus is removed.
Neglecting Safety Measures
As solar panels are located up high, comprehensive safety measures must be taken to ensure the person cleaning them doesn’t injure themselves. A ladder must be used to gain access to roofs where solar panels lie. Other safety equipment, including PPE should be worn as called for by the site. For challenging or high installations, a professional solar panel cleaner and bird proofer should be employed to undertake work. Only a professional such as Solar Birdproofing Sydney can guarantee the work will be completed in compliance with Australian safety standards.
Cleaning solar panels properly is needed to maintain maximum energy production efficiency. However, when cleaning solar panels, be sure to prepare properly, use gentle (and, preferably environmentally-friendly) chemicals and a soft cleaning material, use the correct technique and implement appropriate safety measures to make sure that your solar panels remain in good condition and that you don’t hurt yourself.
Contact Solar Proofing Sydney Today
If you have recently installed solar panels at your site and want to protect them for the long-term, call Solar Proofing Sydney to set up bird-repellent guards on the perimeter of your panels. Our operation can come to you no matter where you live in Sydney. We also perform solar panel cleaning duties which we recommend twice per year. Call us on 0468 433 829 to chat about how we can make sure your solar panels stay clean and free from debris, producing as much energy as is possible all year round.