Solar Panel Maintenance

You must have heard numerous times that solar panel systems are a long-term investment. With that being the case, it’s natural to wonder what kind of maintenance they will require and will that be provided by the solar energy installation company or not. Let’s explore what kind of maintenance solar panel systems require and whether you will need your solar energy installation company’s help for that or not.

Basic Maintenance

In the ideal scenario, Solar Panel Systems do not require a lot of maintenance. All ones need to do is carry out occasional light cleaning and ensure that the sunlight is not being blocked from reaching the panels. In days of heavy snowfall you will have to clear the snow, but other than that, solar panels are supposed to be pretty low maintenance.

In fact, in times of rain, as long as your solar panels are tilted, you might be saved from the light cleaning as well as the rain will wash away the debris. Basic cleaning is recommended anywhere from between 2 to 4 times per annum.

However, things can always go wrong or just not go completely according to plan and your solar panel system might require more maintenance as well. Let’s look into various scenarios and situations.

Clearing Snow

If clearing snow using water, it is important to ensure that you use lukewarm water. This is because if you use water that is hot when mixed with the coldness of the snow, it can end up cracking your panel since it’s made of tempered glass.

It’s always a good idea when investing in something like solar panels systems to ask your solar energy installation company for cleaning and maintenance tips as well as things to avoid, such as using hot water when clearing off the snow.

Decrease in output

If the energy production output of your solar panel systems falls, then that can be a cause of concern for which you should contact your Solar energy installation company to send someone to look into the issue.

Health Monitoring

You can always monitor the health of your solar panel systems by getting a solar panel monitoring system installed if it isn’t already provided to you by your solar energy installation company. Doing so allows you to always check your solar panels energy output, track it over time, and be notified of any significant changes.

Does Location Matter?

There is no major difference in maintaining solar panel systems located on the ground or those located on the roof; other than the ones on the ground being more convenient to clean.

Solar Panel Systems and Weather

Solar panel systems are built to last upwards of two decades. Therefore, they are built to withstand most weather conditions. Solar panel systems have been known to withstand even hurricanes and hail. Although this doesn’t mean that you consider them invincible, they can get damaged by extreme conditions as well.

Ironically, the weather condition that is most likely to affect your solar panel systems’ performance is intense heat. If temperature crosses 90 degrees, your solar panel systems might lose efficiency by around 1% per degree. You can try to avoid this by elevating them a little of the ground to permit better airflow.

Additionally, in addition to a panel or wiring breaking due to extreme winds or hailing etc., in case of the improper casing, the wiring can also face water damage. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to have a long-term warranty from your solar energy installation company.

Solar Panel Systems Warranty

As long as you get in contact with the best solar energy installation company, something that SolarNest can ensure for you, you can get a warranty from anywhere between 15 to 25 years.

Having a warranty means that you save on damage or replacement costs in case of damage or production losses, which can be quite significant, especially when piled up through the years.

Production is promised around 85% or above by most solar energy installation companies for the entire duration of the warranty and in case of a drop, you can just call them to send a team to check your solar panel systems.

Conclusion

Solar panel systems in themselves are pretty low maintenance and do not require much, but in case of production losses or damage, their repair or replacement can be quite costly. Therefore, it is always a good idea to go over the warranty offered by your Solar Energy Installation Company and ensure that it is adequate according to the expected usage of the solar panel systems.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Benefits of Using Solar Energy in Pakistan

Solar Panel Installation Development in Pakistan

Most Efficient Solar Panel Installation In Pakistan