SOLAR MAINTENANCE SERVICES NEAR ME
What is Solar Panel Maintenance?
Maintaining your solar panels is effectively the same as most other appliances around your home – the more you clean and maintain them the longer their average lifespan. With this being said, solar panels require minimal maintenance, but they can still benefit from regular care. There are three basic solar maintenance steps to follow, and these are keeping your solar panels clean, check for any vegetation that may be causing areas of shade and schedule professional solar panel maintenance inspections with a solar company in Durban such as Eagle Eye Solar who can catch issues before they become a problem further down the line.
One of the most common cleaning tasks is removing fallen leaves, dust or dirt that may be sitting on the solar panels that can block the sunlight and therefore reduce the amount of sustainable energy that can be generated. In most cases, gently cleaning your solar panels with water, a soft brush and non-abrasive chemicals can do the trick and won’t require you to spend money hiring a solar energy company. It’s often recommended to schedule solar panel maintenance either once or twice a year depending on your property location and other factors that may affect the wear and tear of your equipment. It’s important to not only focus on your solar panels but also monitor your other equipment such as the battery backup and inverter to ensure there are no errors or problems that may be affecting the performance of your solar power system. Get in contact with Eagle Eye Solar today if you have any queries or concerns.
Solar Panel Maintenance Tips
Regular Cleaning Improves Efficiency
Dust and dirt build-up can reduce performance - gently clean panels every few months for best results.
Keep Panels Clear of Shade or Debris
Overhanging branches or debris can block sunlight - ensure panels stay clear to maximise output.
Schedule Professional Yearly Inspections
A yearly check by a technician helps detect minor faults early and extends your system’s lifespan.
Monitor Energy Output Consistently
Track your solar performance often to catch dips in output and act before problems grow.
SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS
The Advantages of Solar PV Maintenance
The benefits of keeping your solar panels in a good condition go far beyond just making them local aesthetically pleasing – but rather maintaining them on a continuous basis can help you overall system health and increase the lifespan of your system. There are lots of basic tasks that can be done by a homeowner such as visual inspections, and general cleaning but for more complex tasks or larger cleaning projects then get in contact with Eagle Eye Solar we can give you a helping hand when it comes to maintaining your solar energy system.
Another bid advantage is the reliability factor – well maintained solar power systems are less likely to have unexpected faults or errors that can be costly if this then requires some parts to be changed. At the end of the day, this is like most other purchases you make and the better the condition the longer the equipment or appliance would normally last. Keeping your solar panels free of dirt, dust and debris along with ensuring the inverter wiring and cabling is still in good condition can extend your systems lifespan beyond the standard warranty period.
For many homeowners, the real value lies in the added peace of mind, knowing that your solar system is working as expected, saving you money over the long term and reducing your reliance on the grid to stay powered during loadshedding or unexcepted power failures. A small investment in regular maintenance pays off with bigger long-term savings, better energy efficiency, and the satisfaction of protecting your home’s green energy future. Prioritising solar panel maintenance means you can enjoy all the environmental and financial benefits your system was designed to deliver for years to come.
Solar Panel Cleaning Services Durban
Keeping your solar panels clean is one of the simplest tasks that homeowners can do if you have a few solar panels installed at your home. For larger homes or commercial and industrial sites, it can often be a better choice to hire a professional to clean the solar panels as this can get more time consuming due to the size of the system. How often you need to clean your panels depends on your surroundings - for example, homes near trees or in dusty areas may need more frequent cleaning. At Eagle Eye Solar, we guide you on the best cleaning practices and can recommend trusted professional cleaning services if needed. It’s always advised to not use abrasive chemicals when cleaning your solar panels as this may cause damage to the surface, but the best process to follow is ideally the manufacturers guidelines as this will often contain all the key information you need to ensure you following best practices.
Solar PV System Repairs
Solar PV system maintenance and repairs can help protect your solar energy purchase and ensure your system operates safely and efficiently year over year. Due to the technical nature of solar equipment – there can often be general wear and tear such as loose wiring, minor panel damage from external weather elements and inverter faults that may affect how much energy your system can produce. The ideal scenario is to catch these types of issues before start to become a problem and this is where general system repairs can help protect your investment.
Annual System Servicing
At Eagle Eye Solar we can provide homes and businesses with annual system servicing to ensure your system operates efficiently without having to worry about the next time you need to call a solar professional. This can help to reduce the hassle and stress as we can get this booked in far in advance and will notify you closer to the time to let you know your annual servicing is coming up. This is just one of the services we offer to provide our customers with a seamless experience from the initial installation to after sales support and ongoing maintenance.
Solar Panel Inverter Maintenance
Regular solar panel inverter maintenance is essential part of the process to prevent performance fluctuations or unexpected failures. The inverter sites at the heart of your solar energy system and works by converting the direct current (DC) electricity generated by your solar panels into alternating current (AC) that can be used to power essential appliances around your home. Over time, due to the technical nature of the product some essential items may wear and tear or become outdated, making periodic inspections and firmware updates important. One of the easiest ways to monitor your inverter performance is to look for error codes, changes in performance output or unusual noises that may indicate some sort of problem.
Frequently asked questions
How much does solar panel maintenance cost?
For most homeowners, solar panel maintenance is minimal and affordable. On average, professional cleaning and inspection services normally cost around R 2500 but this all depends on your system size, location and accessibility of the system. When it comes to maintaining your solar panels, majority of people find that natural rainfall is enough to keep your solar panels clean.
Good to Know:
• Routine solar panel maintenance is not often necessary – most manufacturers recommend annual inspections which can be included with a performance check.
• Product warranties often cover any major components such as your panels or inverter which means that these repairs shouldn’t be too costly if you still covered.
• Lots of modern inverters can some form of monitoring software that can alert you when there are issues, saving you from needing to contact a solar expert.
Does the rain clean your solar panels?
Rain can help remove loose dirt and leaves that may be blocking sunlight from reaching the panels. This can often work in the short time period, but we would still recommend that you also schedule proper cleaning as rainfall acts as a light rinse rather than a thorough clean. There may also be other stubborn dirt that is stuck on the panels that may not be removed by the rain. Overall, the rain can help remove light dust from the solar panels but for other materials that are stuck to the panels this may not help.
What maintenance does a solar battery need?
Solar batteries are designed to be low-maintenance, but they still contain electrical components that may malfunction from time to time and require general repairs. One of the easiest ways to check whether they are working as expected is to conduct visual inspections and ensure there are no error codes or strange noises. Some of the most common problems are corrosion, dust build up and damage to the casing or wiring. Many modern-day inverters have built in monitoring software that can allow you to identify a drop in performance that may signal a potential issue with the system.
What is the lifespan of a solar panel?
The average solar panel warranty is between 10—25 years but you should double check this with the installer or follow the manufacturer guidelines. Despite this, may solar panels will still be working beyond these time periods but may require more frequent maintenance to ensure they are still in working order. It can be expected for the solar panel efficiency to gradually decline over the lifespan of the system – with the average degradation rate typically between 0.5% and 1% per year. This highlights the importance of proper solar maintenance to ensure you system lasts for as longer as possible.
What is the best thing to clean solar panels with?
To clean your solar panels without causing any major damage, we would recommend using a soft cloth or sponge with warm water and a mild, non-abrasive soap. A hard bristle brush could potentially scratch the solar panel and cause damage, whilst abrasive chemicals or high-pressure equipment may further damage the panels. It’s recommended to clean the solar panels at the coolest time of the day so ideally early in the morning or later in the afternoon/evening. Ultimately – following your manufacturers guidelines is the best approach as this should detail the best approach to follow.