Tips and Tricks to Taking Care of Your Solar Panels
Think about it, your solar panels are a pretty hefty investment, so why wouldn’t you want them to last? It’s important to maintain and take care of your solar panels, they aren’t going to do it on their own! So today, we’ll be sharing a few tips and tricks when it comes to treating your solar panels. We want to see your investment go a long way, do you?
Keep them clean!
How often should you clean your solar panels? The answer is determined based on where you live. Is there a lot of construction in your area that could cause debris or dirt to reach your panels? Do you live in a windy desert? While some areas need weekly washing, others can go up to two months. It is your responsibility to keep an eye on your panels. If you receive a big bill at the end of the month, it is no one’s fault but your own. If the glass on your panels is dirty or dusty, it’s time for a cleaning!The cleaning process is very simple. First off, never use harsh soap or sponge. The goal is to get the glass on the panels clean and clear, so we won’t want any scratches, buff marks, or soap residue. We recommend a soft cloth and some biodegradable soap for deep cleanings. The more often you do a deep cleaning, you will be able to get away with just running a hose over your panels for the quick cleans. Keep in mind that when you are cleaning you need to be careful not to mess anything up.
Monitor Your Solar Panels
This step really does not require much besides just keeping an eye on your panels. A few things to look out for:- Keep them out of the shade. Make sure that there are no new shade issues that weren't there when the system was installed. Shade on solar panels actually works exponentially, not proportionally.
- Make sure the green light is on. If it’s on that’s a good thing, if it’s flashing, that’s not good. If it’s out, also not good.
Keep a Record of Your Solar Panels
If you want to take the upkeep process a little bit further and have the time to do so, you can monitor your panel's day-to-day performance. By doing so, you can write down what your system has produced for the day. Keeping daily accounting will help you determine if your system is still working, but maybe just not producing what it used to. Does this sound a little overwhelming? No worries, monitoring systems are available in different formats that will do the work for you and give your results right to your phone or computer. We recommend doing this if you care about your investment. It’s important to know if it’s doing its job!Again, solar panels are expensive. The process of installation is long and tedious. It’s important to take care of your investment. We hope you’ll consider these tips to taking care of your solar panels on your home.