Why Your Solar Panels Need to be Clean

Solar panels generally get dirty from dust and pollen.  This can be cleaned off very easily with no effort by you.  And how is that possible you might ask? Rain! While you're inside cuddled up in a blanket and reading a book, your solar panels are being washed by Mother Earth.

You want to be sure that your panels are clean most all of the time so that they can be as effective as they can be. The cleaner they are, the more energy they produce!

If your panels are covered in dirt you may see a very small drop in your system’s efficiency. And when I say small, I mean very small-- less than 5%. It is nothing to stress out about! Most of the time the rain has your back so there's not much to worry about.

How to Clean your Panels

In most instances the rain will wash away the majority of the dirt and grime that gets on your panels. If you live in a state that doesn’t get a lot of rain or is prone to droughts you may need to get on your roof and clean the panels off.  But don’t worry it isn’t as hard as you may think.

Chances are, you already have the supplies you’ll need to get your panels squeaky clean at your house right now.  In fact, if you haven’t seen rain in a while all you have to do to clean your panels is take a hose and spray some water on your roof as if it were raining.

If you notice that your panels are still pretty dirty, you’ll need soap and water in a bucket, a non-abrasive sponge, and a ladder. Then get on your roof and wash the dirt away.  If you're afraid of heights or have safety concerns you can also hire someone to do that part for you. Super easy right?

Now that you know exactly how to clean your panels you won’t ever have to sing “Rain, Rain, Go Away” again!

Learn more about how to go solar at www.ionsolar.com.