PacB Group // 4 Maintenance Tips to Ensure Your Solar Panels Last a Lifetime

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4 Maintenance Tips to Ensure Your Solar Panels Last a Lifetime

Electricity keeps our economy turning, and each day the lights go out, we lose millions. As a result, many businesses struggle, leaving them little choice but to retrench employees or even close their doors. But why should we rely on Eskom when we have a hot climate and a long coastline that boasts strong winds? We have the perfect landscape and weather for solar energy.

Solar technology has rapidly advanced over the past few years as a viable and attainable energy source for businesses and homeowners across the globe, including South Africa. With advantages that range from reducing your environmental footprint, improving your home and business property value, and ensuring a sustainable supply of electricity, to giving you complete control over rising energy cost, renewable energy will save you money for decades to come.

With a high efficiency rating, today’s solar panel technology is so sophisticated that it’s hard to come up with reasons not to invest in them for your business or home. However, because of battery costs and the fact that the panels are made of glass, critics believe solar equates to high repair and maintenance costs. The truth is glass panels are designed to withstand hailstorms and winds of up to 140 miles per hour, and they also come with a 25-year warranty. Although solar energy is relatively maintenance-free, here are some excellent tips to ensure your investment lasts a lifetime.

1. Keep Panels out of Shade: Even though a pre-installation site analysis will determine the best position to install the panels, it is primary to place panels in a position that catches more sunlight than shade. Because shade decreases energy, you will also need to regularly prune towering trees and branches that compete for energy.
2. Regular System Inspections: Just as you should clean your panels at least once a month if you stay in a dusty area with many birds, you should also inspect your panels after a serious hailstorm to remove any debris. Bird nests under panels, frayed wires, and water damage can cause serious issues, so ensure that you regularly check the condition of the panel wiring and the frames that hold them in place. Remember to never expose yourself to any risk. If you have any doubts about your ability to safely clean your panels, rather hire solar maintenance professionals.
3. Monitor Your System: The only way to stop problems before they happen is to install an app-driven monitoring system. Not only do these monitors track your energy metrics – charting your energy efficiency and savings over time, but they track problems before they happen, keeping maintenance and repair costs to a minimal.
4. Regular Cleaning: Dirt affects the efficiency of solar panels. It blocks the sun and reduces its performance. Fortunately, solar panels are completely stationary and installed at a steep angle, which means rain often clears them of dust and residue. Requiring minimal repair or maintenance work, many homeowners give their panels a rinse with a hosepipe to remove any cloudy debris which could affect sunlight intake. However, tough and abrasive build-up such as bat and bird droppings will demand a soft rag and biodegradable soapy water to remove.

A solar energy system can last for decades, and with a little maintenance and common sense, you can save thousands in repairs and maintenance costs over their lifetime. However, if you do not feel competent enough to get up on the roof and clean and repair them, it is advisable to hire the solar maintenance experts at PacB Group. Not only do we supply the best global energy brands, but we install and maintain them for you.