Maintenance of Building-Integrated Solar Panels

There are no moving parts in the system that would need direct maintenance. In the spring, after the snow has melted and the plants and trees have been pollinated, dirt may cover the panels.

It would be prudent to remove tree leaves and branches from the panels, which cannot be washed away by rain and which hinder electricity generation potential. In areas with a lot of pollen and dust, the panels should be washed periodically.

In general, it is enough to soak the solar panels with a hose from the ground, which removes the majority of dirt. Wet panels are slippery, so do not walk on the panels in wet weather or during washing. Detergents are not necessary to clean the panels. Rain is generally the best cleaner.

In winter, the productivity of solar panels is very low even in snow-free conditions. The snow load does not pose any danger to the panels, so it is not reasonable to mechanically remove the snow from the roof. The most rational is to let the spring sun do its job and melt the PV panels out of the snow – the black surface of the solar panels accelerates the melting of the snow as soon as the sun moves with a higher arc. Also, under no circumstances should ice be removed from the panels – instead of the expected benefits, the panels may be damaged and the intended operation of the system may be impaired. Read more about solar panels in wintertime.

Recommendations

• Wash the solar panels periodically and remove leaves and dirt from the panels. Cleaning should be done in the morning, evening or on a rainy day when the sun is not intense.

• Visual inspection once a year to see if the panel mounting brackets may have come loose.

• Check the regular operation of the inverter and don’t ignore important error messages.

• Make sure that all visible cables and plugs in the technical room are properly secured and not loose.

Avoid

• Do not use metal tools such as spades, knives or abrasive sponges for cleaning.

• Do not remove snow from the panels mechanically.

• Step on the solar panels only when absolutely necessary to remove foreign objects.

• Do not clean or remove the solar panel with cracked glass yourself.

• When cleaning with a pressure washer, the pressure must be less than 690 KPa.

• Use a sponge to remove heavy dirt.

• Do not use steam or corrosive chemicals to speed up cleaning.