How to maintain your solar panels
Luckily, solar panels require minimal maintenance to ensure they keep working properly and producing solar energy for your home. The most common type of maintenance required for your panels is cleaning. Dirt and debris can collect on your panels, especially during storms or extended periods without rainfall. Occasional cleaning can remove this debris and ensure that your solar panels get the optimal amount of sunlight.
The other type of maintenance you may wish to do for your solar panels is an annual inspection. During a solar panel inspection, a professional — often someone from your solar panel installer — will come to your home and take a look at your panels, just to make sure everything is working as it should.
Any other maintenance appointments can simply be scheduled as needed if and when you notice a problem with your solar panels or that they aren’t producing energy as they should.
How often do solar panels need maintenance?
As we mentioned, solar panel maintenance is fairly minimal. There are generally three different schedules to keep in mind:
Annual inspection: Once per year, hire a professional to inspect your solar panels and ensure they’re working properly.
Cleaning: In general, plan to have your solar panels cleaned about twice per year. You may only need one cleaning per year if you live in an area with lots of rain and where your solar panels don’t collect much dirt or debris. But if you live in an area where your solar panels don’t get much rain or collect lots of dirt or debris, plan for more cleanings.
Additional maintenance: If you notice a problem with your solar panels outside of your annual inspection, you can schedule a maintenance appointment as needed.
How to tell when my solar panels need maintenance
In most cases, your solar panel system won’t need much maintenance outside of your regular inspections and cleaning. But there are some red flags to look out for that may indicate your panels require maintenance sooner than scheduled.
The best indicator that your solar panels need maintenance is a reduction in your energy output. If you suddenly notice that your solar panels aren’t producing as much energy as they normally do and that your electricity bill has gone up, it’s a good sign that you should schedule a service appointment.
Because solar PV panels require very little maintenance, this means that the cost of use is extremely low, making them ideal for use in combination with heat pumps.
Post time: Dec-31-2022