Keep Your Solar System Performing At Its Best All Year
There is almost no better investment than a home solar system. It increases the value of your home and saves you money on your monthly energy bills, all well as reducing the carbon footprint of your home. And quality solar panels last up to three decades, meaning there is plenty of time to recoup the initial cost.
To make sure you get the most out of your solar panels it’s important to know about solar panel maintenance. It isn’t complicated and will help ensure your panels stay in premium condition and get maximum output for as long as possible. It doesn’t matter whether your solar panels are ground-mounted or roof-mounted, the maintenance process will be the same.
The suggested maintenance for solar panels is to clean them two to four times a year. Additionally, some solar customers like to get annual inspection from a solar professional, such as the company that installed their system. A solar expert can quickly inspect the panels and system to make sure it’s all working optimally for you at a minimal cost.
When cleaning solar panels the main objective is to remove any dirt, leaves and debris that collects. If your panels are on a tilt rain and/or wind can help regularly clear them, so there might be even less to do than you expect. However, if you live in a dry climate you should expect to clean them manually as needed.
If your panels are roof-mounted, it’s highly recommended that you hire a professional cleaning service to handle it for you. While the tools to clean the panels are quite simple, not everyone has the proper safety equipment necessary to get perform the task. A professional cleaning service can clean them for you and will charge you either by panel or a flat-rate for the entire system.
If you live in an area that gets heavy snow you should consider getting snow guards for your panels. While snow surprisingly doesn’t damage or dramatically affect how solar panels perform, it can present a safety hazard. Solar panels are almost frictionless, so if there is heavy snow it can build and then slide off in a single instance. This presents the risk of large snow chunks falling from the roof and onto your car or even a person. Snow guards are an excellent way to address the issue and are highly recommended if you live in an area with the expectation of heavy snow.
If you have a modern solar system, then you will likely have access to some type of monitoring device or app to track the energy production. By regularly checking your systems performance you can look for dips in energy production as a sign that it might be time for a cleaning. Monitoring systems are incredibly useful tools, giving insight into how much energy is produced on certain days and over longer periods of time. Keeping an eye on the production and efficiency of a system will let you know immediately if a panel is broken or malfunctions so you can get it repaired or replaced.
Most solar panels installed should come with a quality warranty. This way if the production decreases substantially on the panels or one of them breaks/malfunctions you can easily get them repaired and replaced by professionals. Most solar panels come with a production warranty that will guarantee the panels energy production remains at or above 80% throughout a 25 year period.
If you’ve spent the time, money, and energy to get a solar system you’ll want to protect your investment. Luckily, it’s as simple as removing debris as needed every few months to get the best performance possible. Make sure you monitor your panels, clean them as needed, and get an annual inspection to get the most out of your solar experience. If you live in Southern California and are looking for one of the best solar companies in San Diego, contact Sunline Energy. We offer quality solar, battery storage and roof replacement.
