Solar Panel Cleaning

Service Description

Your solar panels are a large investment, and when properly cared for, are designed to last 25+ years. There are still operational panels well over 30 years old, and still in use, producing a large percentage of their original output. There are lots of rumors about cans and cants when it comes to cleaning your panels and Id like to dispel some of them. Using anything but DI water will void your warranty. FALSE- Contrary to popular belief that's just not true. DI water allows professionals like me to walk away from cleaning your panels and not have to worry about water spotting. That's it. DI water isn't magical, its just ultra filtered water with a contamination level below .10 ppm You can absolutely clean your panels with regular water, just do the best you can to dry them. I recommend using a blue soft deck brush you can get at any hardware store, and using your blower to help dry them of as you go. You can use a pressure washer to help clean your panels. FALSE-Absolutely do not do that. Pressure washers can force water underneath the lips of the frames and cause water migration into the interior of the panel. It will violate the terms of any warranty, and will not be covered. Rain will clean my panels with no help from me. They dont need to be cleaned. FALSE- Rain will not wash your panels any more than it will your car. Your panels will lose up to 70% of its production the first year of not cleaning it, and continue to lose more every additional year. In high soil environments, I have case studies of commercial solar arrays losing 60% of its production in 4 months of harvest, and yes, they can be completely blacked out. But the real problem with not cleaning your panels is contaminants like bird droppings that are left on them will cause "hot-spots," and ruin cells on the panel. Once this happens it will forever reduce the production levels. At Modesto Solar and Window Cleaning, we use a high speed brush powered by water pressure, with purified water to give you the best results in a minimal time. How often should you clean your panels? At least once a year to keep them working properly. The rest is dependent on your electrical rate, as well as specific environment. Phone calls are free, so give us a call, if you'd like more information.