Solar Nerd articles about: Maintenance

Solar panels for home and commercial use are really tough. They’re designed to withstand hurricanes, rain storms, and hail, and will usually continue to work for 25 years or more. That doesn’t mean they’re indestructible. While they’re designed to withstand impacts from one-inch hail, a wayward baseball or unusually large hailstone can shatter the tempered glass. If this happens, you might notice the telltale spider pattern of broken glass. What can you do about it?

One of the great things about solar panels is that they just sit there, silently turning photons into electricity and making you money. They can essentially be maintenance-free for 25 years. But one question solar homeowners often have is: if my solar panels are dirty, what’s the best way to clean them? The best way to clean your solar panels is with tools you probably already have: a bucket of plain water, a soft brush or cloth, and the kind of extension pole you would use to squeegee your second floor windows.

In the six years I’ve owned my solar panels, there have been two times where I’ve looked up at my array and noticed something dark lodged underneath one of my panels. From the ground, I have a clear view of the space between my solar array and the roof. The gap is not wide, maybe 5 inches, but when I look at it from the ground, I normally expect to see clear sky along the full length of the array.