Do Solar Panels Need Cleaning? Here’s What You Need to Know About Solar Panel Cleaning!

As one of Perth’s longest-running solar companies, we receive many enquiries about solar panel cleaning and questions about whether you actually need to clean your solar panels regularly.
It’s a question with multiple answers for different scenarios. In theory, cleaner solar panels perform better as they can get all the intensity of direct or diffused sunlight available.
However, there are aspects that need to be considered with pros and cons for different situations. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about cleaning solar panels including when you would consider doing it, how you do it and the actual effects of cleaning dirty solar panels on energy output.
Who Really Needs to Clean Their Solar Panels?
You may be surprised to hear that not many Perth homeowners will actually need to engage in professional solar panel cleaning services. In Perth metro areas, those far away from open fields and dry countryside areas, there is usually no need as the little dust that might settle on the solar panels often gets blown away by the wind or washed out on by the occasional rains.
If you live near busy roads, industrial areas, or farmlands where dust, dirt, or bird droppings are more common, your solar panels could accumulate grime. However, this is usually easy to clean by simply spraying them with a hose.
Salt is another concern for clients close to coastal areas. However, we’ve had plenty of clients with 10+ year old residential solar panel systems in which the only upgrade they needed was a bigger system, not a replacement due to salt corrosion. The good news is the latest generation solar panels are built to the highest possible standards and ready to work in all weather conditions regardless and need no cleaning.
What About Those Solar Panel Cleaning Services?
We are aware of people going around knocking door-to-door offering such services as cleaning solar panels and claiming that “the warranty is affected if solar panels are not professionally cleaned”. Not true. Yes, they need to be well maintained but that doesn’t need an expensive professional solar panel cleaner. Solar panels are designed and certified to work under all weather conditions and they have. Therefore, most Perth homeowners shouldn’t have to spend a lot of money on engaging professional solar panel cleaners, unless the panels are fully covered by debris, which again is rare.
Why Most Homeowners Won’t Need Solar Panel Cleaning Services
Besides the actual limited effect that a little layer of dust can have on solar panels performance, there is also the very important element of safety to consider when choosing to clean solar panels.
For obvious safety reasons, we don’t advise our clients to go on the roof just to clean the panels, which they can do from the ground or the ladder with the pressure hose. The other point to consider is, any time you walk on the roof, there is always the possibility of damaging the solar panels, this risk still applies whether you clean the solar panels yourself or engage a contractor for a solar panel cleaning service.
Mind you, the above applies to single storey buildings too. Imagine double or triple storeys houses with straight drops from roof to ground floor. We can’t imagine why anyone would want to take that risk or end spending hundreds of dollars to hire cherry pickers or scissors lift for this purpose.
What Homeowners Can Do to Maintain and Clean Solar Panels
The most sensible approach to cleaning your solar system would be to do a quick pressure hose spray when you engage a professional cleaner for the roof or gutters. In such situations whilst “up on the roof” it would make sense to pressure hose your panels but that’s it, without the need to walk on the roof for the sole purpose of solar panel cleaning.
There are situations though in certain parts of the country, where the combination of wind, dust and morning dew might need a little bit more attention than in urban areas. Even in these situations a good pressure hosing when needed its usually all that’s required.
The Latest Solar Panel System Technology
Solar systems, if properly sized should cater for small performance affecting factors like a little dust or cloudy weather.
Also, the latest panels split cells N Type technology is even less susceptible to dust or other dirt on the solar panels given their advanced shade tolerance which older panels didn’t feature until very recently.
Bottom line, by our experience we always ask clients not to bother as the problems that can spun from these actions outweigh any benefit in the long run and powerful showers from the sky are never too far away.
Suspecting Dirty Solar Panels Are the Cause of Poor Solar Performance? Chat to e-Solar!
By experience cleaning panels would always help but would not make a major difference in the system performance or worth the effort. Therefore, if you do suspect a problem with your solar system, it’s best to speak to a reputable solar company, like e-Solar, to help you get to the bottom of your problem!
Our friendly solar technicians will be able to service your solar system and assess whether you really need to clean your solar panels and advise of what the root cause of poor solar performance.
With e-Solar, you’ll back to reaping the benefits of highly efficient solar panels in no time. Don’t hesitate to give us a call or submit an online enquiry.
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Further reading:
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