- Servicing Queensland since 2010
How To Maintain Healthy Solar Panels
August 23, 2022
Solar panels can prove an asset to any home, providing an efficient source of power that helps reduce your energy consumption from the grid, and hence, your energy bills. While you might think you can just install solar panels and forget about them, in actual fact they require maintenance to ensure they keep performing at their best – safely, correctly, and reliably. Dust, debris, water, hail, vermin and sunlight can all cause damage to your solar system and compromise its quality.
Wondering what you need to do to keep your solar system “healthy”, and how a professional technician can help? We’ve put together this handy guide outlining the importance of regular maintenance and cleaning of your solar panels.
Table of Contents
What can damage my solar panels?
When you’re installing solar panels, it might help to think about them as you would your car. While they’re designed to last, they still need regular servicing to make sure they keep operating perfectly. Even though they are made to endure sun, rain and wind, this doesn’t make them immune to damage. Here are some common causes of damage to solar panels:
- Branches, leaves and debris, which can cause scratches and decreased performance
- Extreme weather, including hailstorms
- Water collection on the surface of the panels
Thankfully, there are things you can do to prevent damage before it occurs.
- Maintain the vegetation around your home so that branches and dirt don’t collect on your roof
- Keep your panels clean to maintain their efficiency
- Consult a solar technician to arrange the right installation and protection for your panels
What maintenance is needed on solar panels?
Solar panel maintenance mainly involves cleaning. A dirty or dusty solar panel will just not be as effective as one that’s dirt-free, as when your panels are clean they’ll be able to harness the most power from the sun and thus perform at their best.
Some homeowners might be tempted to clean their solar panels themselves. While this is straightforward, perhaps even just requiring water and soap to get the job done, it can be a dangerous exercise. Not only will you need to climb your roof, putting you at risk of falls and injury, but you could also even damage your panels if you don’t know how best to clean them. What’s more, solar panels are complex electrical systems, and they come with the risk of electric shock or fire if they’re not managed or treated correctly.
When organising maintenance of your solar system, your best bet is to hire an expert technician. While you’ll pay more for a professional service, you’ll ensure a quality job performed safely and efficiently.
Besides cleaning, there are other things you can do to maintain healthy solar panels. Checking your panels for defects is crucial, and a professional technician can also conduct a thorough inspection and update you on any faults or areas of concern. They’ll look for particular signs of damage, including:
- Cracks
- Signs of moisture or corrosion
- Areas of weakness
- Flaws in cabling and seals
- Water accumulation
- Any damage to the inverter
While you can perform an inspection yourself, a trained eye will detect important issues you might easily miss, and will be able to do so safely and with minimal risk of damage. Our friendly team at Apollo Solar has the skills and expertise needed to identify damage and deterioration, perform a solar health check and recommend quality solutions.
How often do I need to maintain my panels?
We know you lead a busy life, and sometimes it’s just not possible to make the time to check your solar system thoroughly. While you won’t need to inspect your solar system every day, there are some things you should look our for on a weekly basis. We recommend checking the system wiring and connections, vaccine freezer, lights, battery and charger, inverter, and charge controller at least once a week.
We also suggest arranging a clean of your panels every three months if you live in a busy area, and at least every six months if your home isn’t surrounded by trees and if you receive regular rainfall. Additionally, make sure you schedule a clean after extreme weather or a storm. Heavy rain and winds can cause debris to collect on your solar panels, impacting their performance. It’s also wise to organise maintenance if you notice any decrease in output, which could indicate a build-up of dirt and debris, if you have flat panels, as these tend to collect dust more easily than angled panels, or if you find yourself spending more on electricity without any clearly identifiable cause.
Routine maintenance has many benefits. Not only does it keep your solar system operating at its best and ensure you enjoy energy savings for the long term, but it also keeps your home and your family safe from the danger of electrical faults or fires. A trained solar technician can help you keep up to date with your solar system maintenance needs, and will be able to recommend the steps you can take to keep your solar system as healthy as it can be for as long as possible.
Solar panel checks and maintenance in QLD
If you’re considering solar panels for your Queensland home, we know it’s not an easy task. The friendly, honest team at Apollo Solar is here to help. We have decades of industry experience and the professionalism needed to advise you on the solar system solution that’s perfect for your home and your needs. Whether you want an installation of a quality system manufactured by a leading brand and backed by a solid warranty, or whether you’d like to organise a solar health check of your system, our team is on hand to help.
As we commit ourselves to outstanding workmanship and excellent customer service, you’re guaranteed to be satisfied with the results of our projects each and every time. Contact us today to speak to our expert team, to learn more about what we do, to get a free quote or to book a service.
