Solar panels are a brilliant way of harnessing the sun’s rays, converting them into useful energy which can power our homes. With the ever-increasing price of bills and the overall cost of living, the savings on our monthly energy bills generated by having solar panels can be very welcome for many households.
Do solar panels get dirty?
According to consumer experts Which solar panels are liable to get quite dirty. Bird droppings, dust, pollen and fallen leaves can all contribute to making them unclean, which can of course affect their efficiency levels.
When solar panels become dirty, they are unable to catch as many of those all-important sun’s rays and they can lose efficiency by up to 4.4% a year. And for those of us who live near a motorway, factory or more polluted area, solar panels might get a little dirtier than in other locations.
How and when should they be cleaned?
Fortunately, a hydrophobic coating means that many solar panels in the UK are essentially self-cleaning. This coating ensures that dirt and debris do not stick, preventing too much buildup of dust.
Rainwater of course goes some way towards cleaning your solar panels, washing away dirt and debris.
However, for optimum efficiency, having your solar panels cleaned around once or twice a year by professional solar panel cleaners in Cirencester or elsewhere, such as https://solarpanelcleanersin.co.uk/cirencester/, can be the best thing to do.
If you decide to clean your solar panels yourself, be mindful of your own safety. A telescopic window cleaning pole can be really handy and saves you from having to climb up on the roof. A spray with the hose can remove any loose pieces of dirt such as fallen leaves, while a mild detergent and a soft sponge are sufficient to clean off most types of dirt.
Ideally, it is best to avoid cleaning your solar panels on a warm summer’s day. This is because the cold water from your hose pipe can be damaging to the warm surface of the panels.
