Optimize Your Energy Savings With Solar Panel Cleaning

There was a time when solar energy for the home was thought of as an esoteric choice, but that is hardly the case anymore. With growing popluar consciousness about environmental issues as well as sky rocketing fuel costs, more and more people are turning to alternative energy sources to power their homes and their lives. If you’ve already made the switch and have invested in a solar energy system, you’re going to want to make sure that you maintain it to ensure that you are reviving the maximum benefits in regards to your energy costs. One of the most basic and important ways you can do this is by keeping the system clean.

Over time, your system panels are going to get dirty. This natural occurrence decreases the device’s ability to absorb energy from the sun. If you don’t maintain them properly and let all that dirt and grime accumulate, you are going to see quite a significant loss in your energy efficiency. Dirty panels can reduce the power output of your system by ten to fifteen percent. Now that you’ve read this, you might be thinking about grabbing a dust mop and a ladder and heading to the roof right now to take care of the problem, however, we strongly advise that you leave your tools in the garage, stay where you are and keep reading. Just like a furnace or radiator, your alternative energy system is a complex machine and you are going to want someone with an in depth knowledge of its workings to be performing all maintenance. Also, it’s dangerous up there. Let someone else do the job.

Luckily, since this type of energy technology has now become fairly common place, it isn’t at all difficult to find companies who specialize in solar panel cleaning. As a start, you could contact the company who installed your system. They might do maintenance themselves or should be able to recommend a company that can. It’s probably worth it to comparison shop on the service though. You can look up a few different companies online and call to get quotes. The cost of the procedure will vary depending on how many panels you have. Most companies will have a flat rate for the first few panels with additional costs per additional tile. If you have ten or fewer panels, you should be able to get the job done for around a hundred dollars.

As stated earlier, dirty panels can lead to a ten to fifteen percent decrease in your energy output, so it’s in your best interest to have a solar panel cleaning at least twice a year. It’s especially important during season changes when there is a lot of pollen in the atmosphere. At this time of year you will see a pretty big increase in the amount of dirt and debris on the system. When you consider the impact a dirty system can have on your electric bill, it’s plain to see that a solar power cleaning pretty much pays for itself. You took the initiative to make an investment in the system initially, so you clearly understand value. Make sure that you’re getting the maximum benefit on your investment by properly maintaining your system.