What's the most effective and safest way to clean solar panels?
A customer asked us about the most effective, and safest, ways to clean solar panels on a roof.
The fact is the majority of solar panels are designed to be self-cleaning, and as such require relatively little cleaning.
However, "self-cleaning" is a bit of a misnomer, like "self-cleaning" windows. For sure they don't need cleaning so frequently ... but they do need regular cleaning to remain efficient.
Quick tip: Grime and bird poo doesn't need to cover an entire solar panel to have a negative effect on it's performance.
In certain situations, such as solar panels mounted in a particularly dry area (allowing dust and bird droppings to build up) or where the solar panel's tilt angle is less than five degrees, most manufacturers recommend regular cleaning to ensure the panels continue to work efficiently.
How to clean solar panels?
Solar panel manufacturers suggest that using plain fresh water will be sufficient for cleaning most solar panels most of the time. They also recommend not using detergents that cause streaking and thus compromise the effectiveness of the panels.
Quick tip: In hard water areas it is crucial to wipe all water from the solar panels to prevent limescale/calcium building up.
Softwashing a roof that has solar panels
Contact the manufacturers of the solar panels
If you are in any doubt about the best way to clean solar panels we suggest contacting the manufacturers of the panels and asking for their advice.
Materials are continually evolving and it would be wise to check that they have not introduced some new substance into the construction of the panels that cleaning could inadvertently compromise.
Quick tip: Get hold of the manufacturer's product data sheets, which will tell you the recommended ways to clean their products.
How to clean solar panels contaminated with algae?
Benz Bio Cleanze diluted 40-50:1 is a good choice (after checking with the manufacturer of the solar panels).
We hope this information about softwashing solar panels is helpful and helps you succeed in your softwashing business.
Cheers,
Ben, Leo & Fiona
PS: Softwashing solar panels is a great market. Think of the many fields of panels that are popping up in fields all over the country, as well those on rooftops. All will need professional cleaning.
Click Here to explore the full range of Benz popular softwash cleaning products
Leave a comment
Comments will be approved before showing up. Please revisit this Trade Tips post to read our response.
Also in Benz Trade Tips
The fastest and most profitable way to learn professional soft washing (video how-to)
How can you learn the practical how-to of soft washing quickly, easily and simply – without wasting several years "re-inventing the wheel" – learning through arduous trial and error – when you could have been up and running in a few weeks?
And earning well-deserved profits from a highly efficient soft washing business.
Then there is the thousands of pounds/euros that the unwary, knowing no better, can waste on expensive, and often unnecessary or inappropriate, softwash equipment. We're sure you don't want to be like them.
Click the link on this page to learn more ...
Softwash Equipment 01 - Planning our new softwash van
In this ongoing soft washing video series Ben explains why and how he uses various types of softwash equipment.
What soft washing equipment you choose to build or purchase depends on several factors: for example the number of employees you have and the type of properties you soft wash.
Want to know more?
Click the link on this page to watch the video ...
Why pressure (jet, power) washing a roof is NOT a good idea
(Due to logistic problems associated with the government restrictions around Covid-19 this is a written, not video, Trade Tips post this week)
===========================
That's a reasonable question.
You could jet wash a roof and then treat with Bio Cleanze.
But why would you?
Want to know the rest of the story? Click the link on this page ...