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How To Properly Maintain Solar Panels

How To Properly Maintain Solar Panels

The rise of technological advancements has given the modern world adequate access to alternative energy resources. One such resource is renewable or clean energy. Renewable energy is rapidly advancing worldwide since it’s able to lessen carbon footprint, provide cleaner power, and create cost-efficient electricity.  

According to statistics, 29% of generated power worldwide came from clean energy. In the United States, renewable energy is designed to be the fastest-growing resource. On the other hand, solar energy is one of the leading residential renewable energy solutions readily available in the US.  

Benefits Of Solar Panels

Solar power is one of the most abundant sources of clean energy, and investing in solar panels from leoht.co.uk offers massive benefits. Installing solar panels for your home helps you to save on electricity costs, reduce greenhouse gasses, and it needs minimal maintenance. Furthermore, properly installed solar panels can supply you with clean electric energy for more than 20 years.

Signs Your Solar Panels Needs Repairs

Mostly made up of tempered glass, solar panels are remarkably easy to maintain. Regular cleaning and tune-ups can help make sure that your solar panel system is functioning smoothly and efficiently. When it comes to cleaning your panels, natural rain can clear off any dirt or dust on them. But to keep it in pristine condition, washing it every six months is ideal.  

Even though if solar panels are low-maintenance, you have to look out for signs of system malfunctions or physical degradation.  Listed below are indications that your panels need repairs:

The moment you can detect these signs, it’s best to contact professional cleaning or repairing services to have your solar panels checked and fixed.  

Maintenance Tips To Follow 

Solar panel maintenance is essential for your system to have lasting and maximum power output. With the proper care, you can be assured that your solar panels can withstand deterioration.  

Here are a few tips to follow to guarantee that your solar panels remain durable and in good shape:

As previously mentioned, the occasional rain can help in keeping your solar panels free from dust and dirt. However, it’s advisable to do regular inspections on your panels to check if there are remaining leaves, snow, or even bird droppings stuck on them. You may rinse the residual dirt with a hose to clean it. If snow is covering your solar panels, you can use a long-handled broom or wiper to brush it away.  

If ever you need to wipe off stain marks, avoid using abrasive sponges as this might scratch or even damage the panels. It’s best to use a soft cloth in wiping away any persistent stains. If you don’t have any cleaning materials on hand, solar panel cleaning kits are available as well. These kits contain a brush, biodegradable soap, and a wiper.  

Equally important, be sure to inspect your solar panels after storms or any other extreme weather events. Hurricanes can break the panels and this will affect the functionality of the system.  

Shades prevent the solar panels from producing energy efficiently since they keep the panels from absorbing sunlight. You have to constantly check if there are towering trees in your area that might potentially cover your panels. To ensure that your panels are not shaded, you can regularly trim the trees.  

Before installing your solar panel system, find a place with open areas, if possible, away from trees or huge establishments.  

The best way to detect system failures and problems is by diligently documenting the systems’ performance. Most modern solar panel systems have monitoring software that records daily, monthly and annual power output.   

You must document the consistency of energy produced by the system and keep note of the time of the day is cloudy or not. This helps you in checking if your panels are working properly. Additionally, keep an eye if the inverters are constantly on a green light as this signifies that your system is generating enough energy. 

You should also do a routine check on the system batteries to see if there are any signs of corrosion. Typically, as long as the batteries look spotless, cleaning only needs to be done every three to five years.

Conclusion 

Investing in solar panels assures you that you are provided with eco-friendly and cost-efficient electric energy. The maintenance is minimal; however, doing regular inspections and diligent system monitoring ensures that your solar panels function effectively and efficiently for a long time. 

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