You have no doubt gone to considerable expense in having your new solar panels fitted and, whilst they do not require a great deal of maintenance, the occasional clean is not going to go amiss and will help maintain their efficiency. After all, they are probably located on your roof and liable to getting dirt, dust and a few leaves landing on the panels.
Clean solar panels perform better
(image credit: James Smile Click!)
Yes, you will find that the rain will remove some of the dirt but it won’t get rid of it all and nor will the wind blow all the leaves away. No, the dirt will not damage your solar panels but an annual clean is strongly recommended.
The problem is – how are you going to clean those solar panels if they are at such a height?
Ideally, from a safety aspect, you should contact a professional solar panel cleaning company. To find one, all that you need to do is key something like “solar panel cleaning uk” into your browser’s search box and you will be presented with a number of websites offering this service.
However, if you were going to attempt the process yourself you should be aware of the following: –
Although solar panels are strong you should not stand on them as you may break the glass. You should not use a pressure washer on them. You should wear correct safety equipment such as suitable footwear, hardhat and goggles.
The ideal time to clean solar panels is during the morning when they are likely to be at their coolest. Warm water and warm glass do not go well together and may result in the solar panel glass cracking.
Utilise a garden hose to spray lukewarm water onto the solar panels that are located at the highest point so that the water will run down over the other solar panels. Then, use a soft brush with an extension handle to brush the grime off the panels. Rinse the panels using lukewarm water from the garden hose but if dirt sill remains carry out the process again. Use a rubber squeegee mop to remove the remaining water from the solar panels.
Job done!
