What is the benefit of cleaning solar panels?

Just like washing your car, you can DIY solar panel upkeep, but there are also professional solar panel cleaners to make it easier. For a small fee, your original solar installer may even do it for you. If you have a rooftop system, enlisting a cleaning service might be a good idea, if only for safety precautions, as professionals will have more experience using high ladders to reach your roof, for example.   

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A professional solar panel cleaning company may not necessarily do a significantly better job than you can, but they're likely better equipped to clean and maintain rooftop units safely and already have all of the necessary equipment. Plus, professional solar panel cleaning will usually only cost you around $150-$300, or $15-$30 per panel.

Professional cleaning may not be worth the cost for ground mount units, because you can safely and effectively clean your panels with a water hose, some dish soap, and a soft rag without having to climb onto your roof.

Types of professional cleaning

Various types of professional cleaning companies can help you. For example, robotics companies use semi-autonomous machines to clean without as much direct personal work involved. Some maintenance companies also use soapless brushes and sponges to clean panels to avoid potentially harmful residues. Other high-tech cleaning processes are currently being developed, including waterless vibration and nanoparticle coatings.

Does your solar lease cover panel maintenance?

Solar lease agreements will often include a maintenance clause, but keep in mind that it can sometimes be hard to wrangle the company to come perform any maintenance once they've installed your system.

If you own your solar panels, some companies will perform regular maintenance on their panels, including washing services, while others will repair damages the customer reports. You'll need to read the print of your agreement to figure out whether cleaning services are included. It's important to remember that solar panels generally require little maintenance, and spraying them down with a hose occasionally can usually take care of most of the dust and debris.

How to Clean Solar Panels?

Cleaning solar panels with water can be a hassle. It takes too long, is messy, and can damage the panels. Luckily, some simple tricks will keep your solar panels looking great for years. Here are ways of cleaning solar panels.

Robotics

Robotics is a new and exciting technology used to clean solar panels. Robots are autonomous machines that can be programmed to perform specific tasks. Using robotics to clean solar panels is one of the most effective and time-saving methods.

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Robots can get inside the panel and clean it, removing dirt and debris that would otherwise be left behind by hand. This results in a more efficient cleaning process that takes less time, which reduces the risk of scratches or damage to the surface of the solar panel.

The robot uses an algorithm that maps out the shape of the rooftop and then uses its robotic arm to collect debris such as leaves and twigs that may have fallen on the roof over the winter months and leaves left by birds.

The robot then pushes these items into bins on top of the machine, filled with water, ice or sand, so they don't float away. The robot removes any remaining debris with its robotic arm before moving on to another rooftop to continue its cleaning duties.

Soap-Less Brushes and Sponges

Soap-less brushes and sponges are excellent for cleaning solar panel surfaces. They can be used to clean the panels without leaving any residue behind. Soap-less brushes and sponges are made from natural materials like wood, rubber, and plastic. The bristles on these tools are usually made from bamboo, an eco-friendly material. These tools can be used on painted and unpainted surfaces because their bristles are soft enough to clean even the most delicate surfaces.

Waterless Vibration

Vibration is one of the best ways to clean solar panels because it doesn't use any water or other harmful chemicals on the surface of your panels. It's also relatively easy and requires no special equipment or tools. The basic process involves vibrating the surface of your solar panel with a powerful tool called an industrial vibrator (also known as 'Vibra-clean'). This method uses high-frequency vibrations to break down dirt and grease on the surface of your solar panel without damaging its surface or internal components.

Nanoparticle Coatings

Another way to clean your solar panels is by using nanoparticle coatings explicitly designed for cleaning solar panels. These nanoparticle coatings are applied using an electrostatic spray gun or roller, which can be used on metal surfaces and glass surfaces. They work by removing dirt and grime from both sides of your solar panels while they are still in their protective cases during storage or transport, making them ready for installation quickly after they have been cleaned.

Manual Cleaning Work

Cleaning solar panels manually is one of the most common methods homeowners use. All you need is a garden hose, sponges, water, and elbow grease.

Here's how to do it:

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• Take off the caps on your solar panels by unscrewing them if they're plastic or unscrewing the screws on the metal ones if they're metal.
• Put on rubber gloves and start scrubbing with the sponge. You can use any sponge that doesn't break apart when you wash it in the dishwasher later, like a scrubbing pad or one with scrubby sides that you can use like a sponge. Ensure it doesn't have too many holes or crevices; otherwise, water will get trapped inside and eventually ruin your panels.
• Once you've scrubbed them clean, rinse them off with water until they're completely dry. Don't allow standing water in between the panels because this could cause rust stains and corrosion over time which can ruin your solar panels' performance even more than cleaning them directly.