With residential solar, the solar production of your panels will vary depending on the season, the weather, and how clean your panels are. You might be wondering how you’ll know when it’s time to wash your panels.
The answer will depend on several things, including how particular you are about appearance and the accessibility of your roof. You don’t really need to wash your panels until they have enough buildup that production gets significantly impacted. In certain situations, dust and debris can reduce solar production from your panels by as much as 5% to 15%. You are more likely to encounter this during an unusual situation (a forest fire near your home) than a regular occurrence (pollen season). Most things that get on your panels aren’t going to severely limit production. However, if you do see this type of decrease in solar production, it might be time to call your local panel-cleaning service.
Keep in mind that not all declines in solar production are due to dust or debris. Sometimes there is simply less sun than is normal for a particular time of year over the period of several days. It’s normal for your production to vary by small amounts. Keep an eye out for a more substantial decrease in production that lasts over a period of several weeks. Interpreting your solar production will be a lot easier if you’ve chosen to get solar as a service. Solar companies like SunRun will actively monitor the production from your panels and arrange for any panel washing or equipment fixes that are needed.
Got more questions about residential solar? Take a look at SunRun’s solar power FAQs here.
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It’s so important to keep your panels clean, especially during the summer, when there is less rain to wash them off. Check out http://www.SimpleSolarCleaning.com They make a kit that is designed to automatically wash off your solar panels for you, so you can make the most of your panels year-round. They’re pretty inexpensive too!
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