One of the many reasons that solar energy systems entice people is that they require so little maintenance. With little to no moving parts, solar installations endure minimal degradation over time. The life expectancy of solar panels has improved in recent years as manufacturing technology has become more cultured. The rule of thumb used to be that panels would lose 1%of their effectiveness annually, however, that figure has now substantially reduced. Now that solar panels are being made with mono-crystalline silicon, they will preserve 92% of their efficiency after 20 years of installation. Here are some tips that you all need to know about solar panel maintenance and cleaning:

Inspect Your Solar Panels Regularly

Mainly, solar panels are positioned in high locations where they are not vulnerable to ground-level debris and damage. However, it’s a good practice to do a close-up inspection of your panels from time to time, to make sure you’re not losing power due to a buildup of tree material or pollen. The same type of dirt that collects on your windows will ultimately find its way to your solar panels, so it appears practical to check their cleanliness every now and then. Also, on rare occasions, solar panels have been identified to suffer damage due to dangerous hail storms.

Clean Your Solar Panels

In many instances, the rain will take care of your pane’ ls cleaning. This is particularly true when solar panels are placed at a steeper tilt since pollen and dust will typically be washed off with every rain cycle. If your panels do happen to accumulate a bizarrely heavy coating of pollen or dust, however, you can easily clean them with tap water. Some homeowners just direct the water hose right into their panels and shower them off, imitating rain.

The main element to look out for during solar panel servicing is the risk of scratching the panel’s glass since this can decrease the light that gets to the solar cells. For this reason, when you pick solar panel cleaning products, it’s essential to avoid any abrasive cleanser. Since solar panels are manufactured from glass, you don’t need to shop for specific solar panel cleaning equipment.

Sun and Shade Monitoring

To preserve maximum effectiveness, your solar panels have to be under the sunlight for as many hours as possible. Trees can mature over the years, and the patterns of shade and sun can alter. New construction on neighbouring lots may also have an impact on how much sun your installation is getting. Due to this, during the lifetime of your panels, it’s essential to make sure that they are still placed with the best possible sunlight orientation.

Checking Energy Usage

Installing an energy monitor is your uninterrupted way to make sure your entire system is performing appropriately. Various manufacturers offer technology that enables you to monitor your energy usage. Inverters frequently have a basic display that is inclusive of your immediate power output as well as some daily and cumulative data. Modern inverters are even capable of translating your kilowatt-hours into pounds of carbon dioxide that is being saved every hour, which is a way of seeing how much you’re reducing your carbon footprint.