Have you ever wanted to clean your solar panels by yourself but weren’t sure if you should? It might look simple at first glance, but there are a lot more factors involved in a proper cleaning.

For homes that have a panel which is out of reach, homeowners take on the risk of having to climb on their roof in order to get a thorough cleaning. Without specialty safety equipment, they become prone to injuring themselves or damaging their property. We recommend using an extended water fed cleaning brush to clean the solar system from the ground if possible.

It may sound easier to just get any old brush and a water hose for your cleaning, but then you take on the risk of scratching your panels and leaving behind mineral deposits on the panels from hard water. In addition, many push brushes leave behind trails of dirt after the cleaning which doesn’t get the full effect of the cleaning.

It’s important to use water that has been softened through a deionizer tank to prevent leaving any water spots or leaving behind build up. We recommended that you do not use any soap or chemicals to prevent voiding your warranty.

Many solar panel companies will void a warranty on a system that have been cleaned with soap because of the potential for micro damage. Soap also can leave behind a thin layer of residue that shades the panels and even attracts dirt to stick to the soap residue, making it harder to clean in the future.

The benefit of cleaning solar panels by yourself is that you do save money. You don’t have to pay another company to do it when you can do it yourself. As you can see, there is a lot that goes into this type of work. However, If you know how to stay safe on your roof, have the proper equipment, and don’t mind the extra time it takes, then a do it yourself cleaning may be the right approach for you.