Easy Tips to Maintain Your Solar Panels
Getting a solar power system installed in your home can be considered as one of the wisest investments that you made even if you needed to shell out a lucrative sum upfront. The reason behind this is that the energy savings you will generate in the long run can surpass your initial cost by even more than three-fold.
By connecting to a provider that offers quality solar renewable energy plans such as Reliant Energy (which has price-protected plans on Home Energy Club), you’ll ensure yourself a lower power bill for the years to come.
However, you need to ensure that your solar power system is well-maintained to ensure that you are maximising the benefits that you reap from it. In line with this, below are some easy tips to maintain your solar panels.
Visual Inspection
One of the primary things that you can do to ensure that your solar power system is maintained properly is by conducting regular visual inspection from your panel all the way to your inverter, as well as the other modules of your system. In this way, you will immediately see whether certain obstructions block the sunlight or pollen, dirt, and grime are already starting to build up. Rest assured that if your panels are installed at the right angle, any other dirt will most likely just slip all the way down.
Professional Servicing
Apart from conducting your own personal visual inspection, it is also important that your system is checked by professionals to ensure that you don’t miss anything. A comprehensive solar maintenance service will check for the overall efficiency and performance of your system through the data they gather with their tools and equipment. Aside from a visual inspection, they will also be able to check the mounting of your panels, as well as the cabling that connects them. Rest assured that you can purchase maintenance and cleaning agreements as part of your solar power system acquisition.
Cleaning
There is also the option for you to manually clean your solar panels to ensure that they yield the maximum efficiency when harnessing the sun’s energy. More often than not, cleaning your solar panels is necessary after you have been through a rough weather condition. If you intend to have self-cleaning solar panels, make sure that they are mounted at a 15-degree angle or more. But even then, you still need to make sure that you clean your panels periodically.
- Dos and Don’ts in Cleaning
In cleaning your solar panels, make use of soft rags or squeegee alongside a biodegradable soap. As much as possible, stay on the ground and use a long-handled wiper to reach your panels on the roof. In case you need to climb up the roof to clean your panels, make sure to prioritise your safety, and use personal protective equipment (PPE) as appropriate. Also, remember to turn off your system before you start cleaning the panels.
On the contrary, avoid the use of any abrasive sponge or soap that can cause a scratch on the glass of your panels. In parallel to this, also avoid the use of cleaning products that can compromise the electrical components of your system. You should also not use hard water because it can severely impair your panels over time.
Nevertheless, aside from manual cleaning, you can also leverage automatic cleaning systems that employ the use of robots, not only to clean your panels but to monitor it as well.
In conclusion, make sure that your solar power system is well-maintained because, in this way, there is a greater chance for you to recover the initial costs that you needed to shell out for its acquisition. You will be able to do this by performing a regular visual inspection as well as having your system checked by the experts. In this way, any pending issue will be mitigated as soon as possible, which can result in the efficiency and longevity of your system.
