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Solar panels have a long lifetime, up to 30 years, before the hardware degrades and efficiency reduces. However, consistent cleaning and maintenance are required to keep them working well until that point.
If your solar panels are installed on your roof or elsewhere, you might wonder if you can clean them correctly and how to do so. Below, learn when and how to clean your solar panels to keep them working effectively.
Do Solar Panels Need Cleaning?
Solar panels require occasional cleaning to ensure the best performance and efficiency. A glass coating protects the PV cells, but this protective layer can become dirty over time, reducing a panel’s efficiency at capturing the sun’s energy.
Rooftop panels are especially prone to collecting dirt, dust, leaves, bird droppings, or even pollution, which reduces the light that can reach the cell. If you’ve noticed a reduction in your panels’ energy production, dirty solar panels could be the culprit.
Luckily, it’s an easy problem to fix. The most efficient panels are regularly cleaned, so you can prevent issues by establishing a consistent cleaning schedule and sticking to it. It’s also simple to resolve if you’re already experiencing efficiency challenges with proper cleaning.
When Should I Clean My Solar Panels?
Solar panels are designed to self-clean to a certain degree, and panels in the UK also have the advantage of frequent rain, which will help to wash off accumulated debris. However, if your array is situated below leafy trees, in a dry area, or in an area with a high bird density, you may notice a build-up of dirt or droppings. It’s especially common if your solar cells only have a minimal tilt of 5º or less.
How Often Should I Clean My Solar Panels?
In the UK, your solar array won’t need frequent cleaning. Setting a schedule of once or twice per year is usually adequate for maintaining performance. If you fall into one of the above categories or notice performance issues related to accumulating debris and dirt on your solar cells, consider making these cleanings more frequent.
How To Clean Your Solar Panels
Cleaning your solar panels requires preparation and a thorough understanding of the cleaning process. Here’s what you’ll need to do and the supplies you’ll need to gather to clean your array as part of our complete solar panel guide.
1. Inspection
First, perform a physical inspection to determine whether the equipment requires cleaning. Check the panel surfaces for debris coverage, and consider checking the panel connections while you’re there to ensure good condition.
You could also pair your physical inspections with a reliable monitoring service, which monitors the conditions and status of the array to help prevent damage, fix issues as they arise, and increase their lifespan.
2. Decide: Professional or DIY?
Now it’s time to decide whether you will perform the cleaning yourself or hire a professional service to handle it for you. This service is often contracted out to professional companies, but it’s not too complicated to do alone. If you did a DIY installation, you can certainly clean them independently.
Safety is paramount, so if your panels are located on the roof and you have concerns about your ability to get up and down from the roof safely or your panels are so big that you worry about rooftop safety, you should consider hiring someone else. If your array is mounted on the ground, cleaning them yourself should be easy.
If you decide on the professional route, you’ll need to cover the cost of the service but won’t need to purchase any cleaning supplies. If you choose the DIY route, you won’t need to pay for the service but will need to stock up on supplies you can use when it’s time to clean your panels.
3. Supplies
Some of the supplies you’ll need can be found easily around your house, while others are more special and related to the specific task. You could also purchase a comprehensive solar panel cleaning kit, which includes all the products you’ll need, from wipers to a long-handled brush and environmentally friendly soap.
The kit will also include instructions for cleaning—just cross-reference the directions with the guidance in your manufacturer’s guide to ensure it won’t harm the cells.
To create a cleaning kit, you can pair warm water with dishwashing soap to create a cleaning solution for the glass surface. You’ll also need a long-handled wiper, so you may need to purchase one if you don’t already own one. If the handle is long enough, you may even be able to clean the panels safely from the ground. It all depends on your home’s height and your roof’s pitch.
If you would rather take a more up-close strategy, you can access the roof by setting up a ladder and using various household cleaning supplies. You’ll also need a soft bristle brush, a garden hose, or a soft cloth with your dish soap solution.
4. Safety
Safety is paramount. Before accessing your array, turn off the panels so that no live electricity runs through them. If they are connected to an EcoFlow Solar Generator, turn that off as well. Otherwise, you risk damaging your panels or even getting electrocuted.
Next, position a stable ladder next to the roof and ensure it is secure on the ground. A spotter should hold the ladder and stand by until you get down. Scale the ladder safely, and consider using ropes and a suitable harness for an extra layer of protection. Once you’re on the roof, move carefully and deliberately to avoid slipping and falling.
5. Use the Manufacturer’s Guide
To begin the cleaning process, follow your manufacturer’s guide to a T. They will outline the exact steps to clean your setup, so if any of their directions contradict this guide, default to the guide and ignore anything that we present here that goes against your manufacturer’s instructions. Simply use this as a general summary of what is involved in the cleaning process.
If using EcoFlow Rigid Solar Panels, the cleaning instructions are the same for all. Whether you have the EcoFlow 100W Rigid Solar Panel model or the EcoFlow 400W Rigid Solar Panel model, you can easily find detailed cleaning and maintenance instructions in our manufacturer’s guide.
6. Only Touch the Surface
Only make contact with the surface layer of your PV panels, avoiding the underside and any wiring. If you want to clean the bottom of your panels, you should hire a trained professional to avoid risking damage.
7. Use a Hose
Using a garden hose can simplify the process if you have to clean your panels often. You can also use the hose during an annual or bi-annual clean as a last step to wash off any remaining debris. Keep the hose at a steady stream with enough pressure to remove dirt and dust but not so strong that it could damage the glass or other delicate components.
8. Get Back Down Safely
Finally, get back down off the roof safely. This is where your spotter comes in. They will hold the ladder steady and watch closely as you scale down it, helping you lower any cleaning supplies or garden hose. Go down backwards, taking each step slowly as you watch your feet.
Is Cleaning Solar Panels Worth It?
Some people may find cleaning the cells too cumbersome. If that’s your case, you’ll find it easier to simply hire a professional service to come out to your house a few times a year and perform a regular cleaning and inspection. That way, it’s off your to-do list, yet you’ll know that your system is working efficiently.
However, the more dirt, dust, pollution, debris, or bird droppings accumulate on your equipment, the more the efficiency will drop. If it remains there for a few weeks, you may see efficiency decline a few percentage points, but if it continues to grow to become a massive amount of debris over several years, you will likely notice a huge drop in performance.
If you used UK grants to purchase your renewable energy equipment, you may also find that the incentive requires regular cleaning as part of the deal.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best thing to wash solar panels with is a solar panel cleaning kit, which includes all the necessary equipment and cleaning solutions. It typically provides a long-handled cleaning brush, a wiper, and a biodegradable cleaning agent. You could also hire a professional, make your own cleaning solution, or use a garden hose.
Yes, you should always shut off the power to your panels before cleaning them. This will avoid accidental damage to the equipment and protect you from electrocuting yourself when touching the panels or cleaning them with a water-based solution.
Final Thoughts
Solar panels are a significant investment in the UK that can help you save money on electricity bills and protect our environment. EcoFlow Solar Panels can work efficiently for 30+ years, but regular and consistent cleaning is required to ensure tip-top performance. Cleaning often isn’t necessary, but try to clean them at least once or twice a year to remove stubborn dust and debris.
