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Is it worth cleaning solar panels?

Writer's picture: Trevor GilletteTrevor Gillette

Updated: Jul 13, 2024

"I had solar panels installed to save money, and now you want me to pay you to clean them?" I totally understand this line of thinking as I would be asking myself the same thing. It also doesn't help that many installers tell their customers that their panels are maintenance-free. Unfortunately, this is not the case. As I explained in another post, rain doesn't clean panels and efficiency is definitely reduced over time.


I always get asked "How often should I have them cleaned?" The short answer to that, is on average, annual cleanings will be the most beneficial, specifically for efficiency. The longer answer is it depends on the needs of each person. Some panels get dirty faster and need a cleaning every six months. For others, it doesn't make financial sense to have their panels cleaned annually based on their energy usage and how much their energy bill is. Bare minimum solar panels should be cleaned every other year in order to keep dirt and debris from damaging the panels themselves. Solar panel manufacturers specifically state regular cleanings as part of keeping the warranty active; how long differs depending the company.


The advice I always give is, check the productivity of your panels over time. Many systems come with a way to track in great detail how efficiently energy is being produced. Take note of how long it takes for your panels to drop between 20 and 50 percent in efficiency and that's about how often your panels should be cleaned. Customers regularly tell me as I am cleaning each individual panel, that they see an increase in energy production. So is it worth cleaning solar panels? On average you will see a 20 to 50 percent increase after having solar panels cleaned. Besides that, everything needs to be maintained at some point, especially something as expensive as solar panels.


If you need your solar panels professionally cleaned and live in the Sacramento, CA area, give us a call at (916) 969-6935 or email me directly at trevor@gillettewsc.com.



Cleaning solar panel with water fed pole

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Proudly serving Sacramento and the surrounding communities

Gillette

Window & Solar Cleaning

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