5 Maintenance Works That You Must Do To Your Solar Panel Installation Yearly

Solar panels are considered as a source of “maintenance free” green renewable energy. You don’t have to lubricate any moving parts or wear outs, as for the major portion of parts just sit there. However like with all machines, solar panels also need to be maintained and taken care of in order to make sure long term usage of them. If not maintained properly, solar panels can lose their efficiency resulting in reduced power generation and lesser energy for your home. Dust, algae, leaves, molds, debris, dirt and other factors and harm the amount of sunlight reaching solar cells and being captured. 

Therefore, regular yearly maintenance is essential for peak performance and abundant electricity supply for your home. Below we will be discussing some major steps to keep your solar system in top notch performing condition:

CLEANING

Cleaning Plexiglas (Lexan, acrylic sheet, Lucite or Plexiglas) is essential for hassle free solar panels. Cleaning of Plexiglas should be done with care as they are sensitive and can be easily damaged by hard brushes, dirt or hard cleaners. Never use gritty cleaners or scrubbing pads for cleaning purpose as they leave scratches on the surface of Plexiglas. 

Instead, Plexiglas should be cleaned through gentle surface rinsing with water to make dirt float off. You can take help of soft cloth with little detergent and warm water to remove any left dirt. Make sure you use different dirt free areas of cloth to prevent any scratches or damage. 

Never use any commonly used household cleaners with alcohol or ammonia as they badly damage the surface of Plexiglas. The sensitivity of Plexiglas can be better known from the fact that they can even be damaged by paper towels. If necessary, use of dilute bleach very cautiously is ok. 

CHECKING

Check for any possible water leakages, algae, mold growth or caulk separation from surface in waterproof seams. Remove any algae or mold present and reapply silicone caulk, sealing the surface. 

Check any possible blockage on weep holes at the bottom. Weep holes are essential for draining of condensed water inside panel. Blocked weep panels can cause water to store inside panel and cause electrical connections to fail. 

Check out all the electrical connections. Tighten any lose screws or connector caps. Look for possible oxidized and rusted wire that can increase resistance lowering power output. 

Solar panels can be of great benefit in providing cost effective and environment friendly solutions to all your power needs. Proper maintenance of solar cells can increase the power generation and life of solar power generators significantly.