Using the right solar panel cleaning equipment can add years to your solar system and save you thousands of dollars in maintenance costs.
How well solar panels work depends on how clean they are. The more dirt and debris that accumulates on the surface, the lower the energy production. Regular cleaning, especially if you live in a dusty environment or are prone to bird droppings, is essential.
In this article, we'll show you how easy it is to maximise your solar power production and the solar panel cleaning tools you should have.
Water Fed Pole Brush
Failing to keep your solar panels clean means that dirt and contamination can reduce the efficiency of your solar panels by up to 25%. That's the difference you'll feel every day (and in your monthly electricity bill if you have net metering).
While it can be difficult to maintain 100% solar power production, daily cleaning with a solar panel cleaning kit, mild cleaning solution and pure water will help to maintain high efficiency levels.
Furthermore, although rooftop solar installations have declined dramatically over the past decade, the soft costs of installation and maintenance labour are still high. Therefore, regular solar panel cleaning can save you thousands of dollars in energy production and potential maintenance costs.
Electric Water Fed Pole Brush
To clean your panels properly, you need some solar panel cleaning tools. You may already have some at home or in your office; others are slightly more specialist and many will need to be sourced.
The tools most commonly used and required include:
Ladders and harnesses - this may seem simple, but a sturdy ladder and harness system is essential safety equipment. Even if your system is ground mounted, you may need a ladder to reach the far end of the panel.
Squeegee – Also called a handheld wiper, it’s an extremely effective tool for removing water without damaging the surface of the panel.
Non-Abrasive Solar Panel Cleaner – Using a mild soap or non-abrasive cleaner is recommended.
Soft-Bristled Solar Panel Cleaning Brushes – Using only soft-bristled cleaning brushes will help ensure your solar panels aren’t scratched during the cleaning process.
Follow-Through Solar Panel Washing Brush – Generally used for cleaning solar panels from the ground, a follow-through washing brush integrates an irrigation integration with soft-bristled washing brushes to more effectively remove solar panel debris.
Solar Panel Cleaning Tool
Assuming you have turned off your solar system, here are the four main steps for cleaning your solar panels.
Carefully remove loose material from the panels - use the brush head of the solar panel cleaning brush to remove debris, bird droppings and buildup from the solar panels.
Spray clean water and a mild scrubbing agent with a non-abrasive cleaner - Some chemicals can damage solar panels, so you should use a mild or non-abrasive cleaning solution and pure water to clean the solar panels.
Rinse and scrape the panels dry - After cleaning the panels, rinse and scrape the panels dry.
Use a lint-free cloth and dry the edges of the panel - Solar panel edges are known to be sensitive, so gently dry the edges and use a lint-free cloth to remove any cleaning streaks that may be present on the panel.
Looking for a high quality all-in-one solar panel cleaning kit online? Check with your installer to ensure that the kit is safe for your solar system. For more information and consultation, contact us here!
