Many homes in California rely on solar panels to help power appliances, run their furnace, and more. Solar panels are an energy-efficient way to keep your home comfortable and limit the amount of money you spend on energy bills in your lifetime. You need to maintain your solar panels after they are installed. Homeowners or businesses can not just forget about them and hope they improve their energy bills. Panels need to be cleaned and properly maintained in order to provide you with energy. When working to maintain your solar panels, cleaning, and preventative factors are the best place to start. Here are some tips to maintain your solar panels and have them perform at their best. 

1- Trim Overhanging Trees

There are multiple reasons to trim your trees when you have solar panels on your roof. Tree limbs can call and cause scratches to the panels and overhanging branches that cause sad will limit the amount of sunlight that the solar panels can convert into energy. This can cause the solar panels to weaken and affect how your home functions. If you want to maintain your solar panels and keep them working efficiently, perform regular tree trimmings. 

2- Install Netting To Keep Birds Away

In order to maintain your solar panels, you will need to keep bugs and birds off of them. This can be difficult when solar panels are one of the most popular places for these creatures to land. Sierra Vista Maintenance offers bird netting that can be installed over your solar panels to prevent birds from building nests on or around your panels. 

This netting will not prevent bird droppings or other build-up from getting on the panels though, so scheduling a cleaning is the only way to keep build-up to a minimum. 

3- Clean The Solar Panels Annually

Solar panel cleaning is the best way to make sure your solar panels stay under warranty and help power your home for the longest time possible. Our experts with Sierra Vista Maintenance use the proper cleaning equipment to avoid scratching the panels as well as nonabrasive cleaners. If you want to get the best solar panel cleaning possible, you should call a professional. 

Not cleaning your solar panels could lead to replacement, but cleaning them improperly can also cause the same issue. Maintain your solar panels with proper cleaning solutions or by leaving this task to a residential cleaning company. 

4- Keep Track Of Their Energy Output

There are monitoring systems that exist to help track the amount of energy that your panels are producing. Many of these systems track how much sunlight is being collected and will help you notice when drops in performance occur. These times can be indicators that your panels should be cleaned or inspected. 

Monitoring systems can also help homeowners or business owners see how they are affecting the environment. These systems will show how much CO2 you are emitting into the atmosphere or how much money you have saved by implementing solar energy in your home. Keeping track of energy usage and production will help maintain your solar panels by preventing them from being overworked for too long. 

5- Prepare For Harsh Weather

Your roof is constantly exposed to a variety of weather conditions which could cause damage to your solar panels. Preparing your home for harsh weather could save you money to maintain your solar panels. Reinforce connections, trimming overhanging trees, shutting down the panels for a short time, and storing tracking devices in a safe spot are all ways to protect your solar panel system. 

If you did not prepare your solar panels before a storm, the best way to maintain your solar panel is to schedule an inspection as soon as possible after the storm. Having inspections after a large rain storm, hail storm, or natural disaster will help get your solar panels back to their fully functioning order. 

How Our Experts Maintain Your Solar Panels

No matter where your solar panels are located, they can become coated in dirt and other debris. Our team at Sierra Vista Maintenance can help cut through the grime without causing more damage to the panels. Dirty solar panels can cost you money, so scheduling cleanings is worth the investment if you want to keep your home energy efficient. 

Sierra Vista Maintenance uses proper cleaning brushes and nonabrasive cleaners to remove build-up without damaging your solar panels. Maintain your solar panels by leaving this dangerous and time-consuming task to the professionals. Proper cleaning can prevent the need for future repairs and save you money over time. Contact us to get your estimate today!

Summertime brings lots of sunshine, especially for homes in California. Hiring a solar cleaning company before the summer season gets into full swing will prepare your home to be cool, energy-efficient, and aesthetically pleasing. Solar panels can get dirtier than homeowners may realize, so cleaning and maintenance will protect your home.

Here is some more information about installing and cleaning solar panels on different types of buildings and how cleaning them can prepare your home for the summer. 

Residential Solar Panel Cleaning

Many homes in California have solar panels installed in order to maximize the fairly consistent sun. No matter where you live, working with a solar cleaning company will ensure that your home solar panels receive the most amount of sunlight possible. 

Solar panel cleaning will help you lower home and energy costs over time. Because your solar helps to power AC, heating, and other mechanisms in your home, the more space available for the sun to hit means more energy for your home. Dirt spots, bird droppings, and hard water will block areas from receiving solar energy, which means you could be paying more because your limited panel space is working harder. 

Summer is a great time to work with a solar cleaning company because of the less harsh weather and will help remove spring pollen. Summer solar panel cleaning can get scary when temperatures rise though, so scheduling a cleaning in May or early June in the mid-morning are the safest time. 

Residential cleaning can be done by the homeowner, but professional companies often have more safety precautions to protect them. When you hire a solar cleaning company, you lower the risk of falling or injuring yourself while cleaning your roof. 

Commercial Solar Panel Cleaning

Just like residential spaces, commercial buildings with solar panels will also need maintenance and cleaning services. The time it takes to clean these panels can take you away from your customers and other business needs. Sierra Vista Maintenance can help take this task off your mind. Hiring a solar cleaning company will save you time and money by allowing you to focus directly on your business.

Cleaning your panels on your business will help to extend the life of the panels to about 20-25 years. The longer your panels last, the more energy efficient your home will be. Cleaning them is worth the cost because you will not have to spend money to replace them. 

Energy-efficient businesses are better able to serve customers which will propel your business forward. Frequent spot cleaning from a solar cleaning company will help you focus on the quality of your business rather than your solar panels. 

How Solar Panels Help Your Home In The Summer

The summertime brings more natural light that your solar panels can turn into energy. Having them cleaned and removing build-up will give you more area that can receive light. Solar panels will have to work harder if they are coated in dirt and dust.

Many homeowners rely on their solar panels to run their AC in the summer as well. Clean solar panels will help keep your home at a controlled temperature and manage fluctuations in weather and temperature. 

If you are looking into solar panels, having them installed in the summer is a great time. With more mild temperatures and fewer storms, solar cleaning companies will have an easier time putting panels on your roof. Sierra Vista Maintenance can install solar panels on homes of all different sizes. We know how solar can improve your energy efficiency and home functionality, so schedule a solar appointment sooner rather than later.

Benefits Of Hiring A Professional Solar Cleaning Company

Working with a professional when it comes to maintaining your home is a worthwhile investment. Solar cleaning companies can make your home look and function better after just a few hours. 

There are many benefits of solar panel cleaning, but here are a few that are specific to working with a trained professional. 

Lower The Risk Of Damage: Hiring a professional will save you from damaging your solar panels or your roof. Installing or cleaning solar panels on your own could lead to holes, cracks, or scratches that could make your home insecure. Hiring a solar cleaning company will limit roof and panel damage.

Personal Safety: Solar panels are located on the highest part of your roof, which means you will have to climb on top of the house in order to clean them. This can be extremely dangerous and you run the risk of falls and death. A professional will have safety equipment that can protect them while they climb on top of your home and leave you safe and protected on the ground. 

Correct Cleaning Products Are Used: Professional cleaners are needed to properly clean solar panels. Household cleaners are not best for the glass and other mechanisms on solar panels. Working with our solar cleaning company will help you avoid scratches and sticky residue left over on your panels. 

If you are looking for better-functioning solar panels, schedule an appointment with Sierra Vista Maintenance!

Before you install solar panels on your home, asking the right questions can help keep your solar panels efficient. Learning about proper care, lifespan, and efficiency of solar panels will help protect your home. Sierra Vista Maintenance wants to protect your investment in your solar panels and keep them working properly by providing you all the information homeowners need. Here are some common solar panel questions and our answers to them. 

1- How often should I clean my solar panels?

Cleaning solar panels helps them to work properly and work for longer. For most solar panels, cleaning them twice a year is sufficient. If you have the budget, you can clean them quarterly or around each season. 

2- Is cleaning my solar panels even necessary?

Cleaning is necessary to keep the efficiency of your solar panels. This is a big one on our list of solar panel questions because homeowners may assume that solar panels are built for the elements. While panels can withstand snow, rain, wind, and other weather elements, dust and dirt can build up and create a film on the panels. 

Cleaning solar panels helps them to receive the most sunlight which brings the best energy efficiency for your home. Cleaning them also helps protect them from mold growth or other deterioration and scratching. There are multiple benefits to cleaning your panels, especially when you have a professional at Sierra Vista Maintenance perform the service. 

3- Will your cleaning method scratch my solar panels?

Sierra Vista Maintenance uses specific brushes to clean solar panels. Our soft bristled brushes and purified water are used to provide a scratch and streak-free clean. Hiring a professional solar panel cleaning crew will give you the best possible cleaning. Working with our company improves the efficiency of your panels while leaving them looking brand new. 

4- Does cleaning my solar panels make them more efficient?

Solar panels are mainly installed to increase efficiency, so it is typical to have solar panel questions about how cleaning them can improve their efficiency. When your solar panels are cleaned properly, the efficiency of your panels can increase by 25-40%. Sierra Vista Maintenance works to improve the look and efficiency of your home and solar panels. Proper cleaning means the solar panels can receive the maximum amount of sunlight possible. 

5- What solar panels are best?

In 2022, there are multiple options for solar panel brands and designs. With the market saturated with many solar panel options, the best thing to keep in mind when purchasing is ones that fit your budget, and panels that deliver the energy they promise. Companies will normally install solar panels on your roof, so ask about their installation process and know what material your roof is made of to install them correctly. 

6- Are solar panels recyclable?

Solar panels are recyclable and are usually separated part by part and can involve removing the frame and junction box from the panels so that the glass and silicon can be reused. Before you recycle your solar panels, research recycling plants in your area and ask questions about if they take the panels and if they properly reuse them. 

7- Can solar panels help the energy crisis? 

While solar panels may not solve the energy crisis, they can help businesses and homes run completely on solar light. With renewable energy, solar panels can help larger buildings create fewer greenhouse gasses and help the environment. 

Using solar energy can not only help the environment around you but it can save you money on your energy bills. 

Work With Sierra Vista Maintenance

Sierra Vista Maintenance offers many quality cleaning services for your home. Homes in California need to look presentable and clean to fit the atmosphere of your neighborhood. With pressure washing, solar panel cleaning, gutter cleaning, driveway cleaning, and more, our team can bring the curb appeal of your home back.

Our team is here to answer your solar panel questions or other home cleaning questions that may arise. Our skilled cleaners work to protect your home and your investment with top-of-the-line cleaning products and efficient methods. Let us help improve the exterior of your home with non-toxic cleaning solutions and gentle cleaning.