We want to make sure you do it safely.
You have owned your solar investment for several years now and you may have realized, they do not clean themselves. You decide to do it yourself, as there is no better time than the present – but wait, there are some safety precautions you should take.
Should you get your panels cleaned, YES!
So here are some things to keep in mind.
Figure 1: panels with dirt build up
What to Check Prior to Starting Your Solar Panel Cleaning
You have taken the first step to help protect your solar investment – wanting to clean your solar panels.
We must remember that safety is paramount! The solar panels are not going to be a concern for us if we get hurt, instead they will more likely be a nuisance.
We need to remember that these are pieces of electrical equipment, so the first thing you want to do is check your monitoring and make sure they are working. Is it a central or a micro inverter? Make sure you know the difference.
If there is a problem within the system, find out what it is and get it corrected prior to any cleaning, as this can be an accident waiting to happen. Electricity is a sneaky beast.
With any successful task, we need to have a plan. How are we going to get on and off the roof safely? Where am I going to be standing? How am I going to approach the cleaning? Think about all aspects beforehand. You want to make sure this is thought out prior to climbing up there. Look around for power lines. Know your roof edges and figure out where you are going to be standing.