Grime and bird poop doesn t need to cover an entire panel to have an effect.
How to clean solar panels on roof automatically.
But first let s look at when and why you might need to invest in solar panel cleaning equipment or hire a professional cleaning service.
Solar panels are generally self cleaning but in particularly dry areas or where panel tilt is minimal dust and other substances such as bird droppings can build up over time and impact on the amount electricity generated by a module.
If your solar panels are installed on the ground then you can opt to use a simple sponge to clean them up or a soft brush as well.
Keeping solar panels clean can also improve their efficiency.
Your solar panels need to be exposed to sunlight in order to produce power.
Because you don t want to scratch the panels in any way it s best to use just water and a non abrasive sponge to apply soapy water.
Soaps can leave a film or residue that not only shades panels like the dirt that was just washed off but it can also encourage dirt to stick and build up faster said daniel green bland.
The most effective way to clean your solar panels is with a hose and a bucket of soapy water.
A soft household broom is great to use to gently scrub away persistent bird droppings from the solar panels.
Some manufacturers and solar panel users report a jump in efficiency of 30 percent or more after a cleaning.
How to clean solar panels with water and a soft broom.
There are special washing brooms to buy with telescopic handles.
They found that tilted panels don t require cleaning as much as flat panels.
Google did a study on the need to clean solar panels.
This is where cleaning solar panels may have to be done.
However unless you live somewhere with high amounts of smog dust dirt or sand blowing around solar panel cleaning is generally not necessary in most cases occasional rain will be enough to naturally and safely keep your solar panels clean and free of debris that could lower production.
It s a good idea to keep track of your energy output before and after a cleaning because that alone can be enough motivation to get your panels cleaned.
However if they are located on the roof then you must use a soft brush coupled with a long extension to make the work easier and safer from the ground.
We ll get to the best way to clean your solar panels in a minute.