Solar panel systems are known for lasting years with minimal maintenance needs. However, a little care can come a long way! Regular check-ups can save you costly repairs down the road while also ensuring that they’re looking nice and shiny! This blog will explain how to maintain and take care of your solar panel system so that it can last longer and work more efficiently.
Clean Your Solar Panels
Solar panels can gather dirt and dust, which can cause the solar panels to not work as efficiently. That’s why it’s a good idea to give it a nice cleaning every once in a while. The best way to clean them while ensuring that they look sparkling clean is with biodegradable soap, a wiper, and a small soft brush. Mix the soap in the bucket with water and dip the brush in the bucket and begin gently wiping the solar panels. You can use plain water or a soft brush to remove any grime or dirt that has built up on the panels. Remember to not use an abrasive sponge or soap as it can scratch the glass.
Lookout for Rack and Roof Penetrations
The racking ensures that your solar panel system is securely mounted to the roof. The bolt penetrations further hold the weight of your solar panels and ensure structural soundness. These systems are well-tested for quality and durability. However, if you notice a leak, contact your solar installer to get it fixed. These issues are often covered under warranty – so refrain from attempting to fix it yourself.
Check Your Solar Panels for Severe Weather
Although the weather in Southern California is mostly sunny and nice, there are those rare occasions of hail that can damage your solar panels. Broken glass will have a bad impact on the performance of your solar panel system. These types of issues can easily be diagnosed by checking the cosmetic appearance or watching their performance through online monitoring. Contact your installer so that they can walk you through the steps for repairing or replacing your panels.
Tips for Maintain Solar Panels
Like we mentioned earlier, solar panels don’t require much maintenance. It just needs a little attention every so often to ensure that it’s working to its max potential. Below are a few small maintenance tips to keep in mind for extra efficiency:
- Keep solar panels away for the shade – Energy production becomes inefficient when not getting enough sunlight. If tree branches or other vegetation is casting a shadow on your system, then giving them a nice trimming should do the trick.
- Monitor the Solar System – Daily checks should involve monitoring the inverter display to ensure that it is working correctly and that the green light is on, failure to which you should refer to the manual. Also, keep a daily record of the system’s output to be able to monitor performance over a long period of time.
Solar panels are investments that give you a big return on investment in the long run. So ensuring that they can last for the longest time possible is a good idea. While they require very little maintenance, giving them some extra attention can never do any harm! We hope this blog helped you see how to maintain and take care of your solar panel system! If you need help with the maintenance or repair of your solar system, give sunlight Solar a call at (858) 360-8295 or contact us directly on our website.
