solar panels Archives

The Importance of Regular Solar Panel Cleaning

Posted on March 15, 2023March 21, 2023 by Clint McCoy

Have you ever noticed how a dirty car windshield can make it difficult to see the road ahead? Well, the same concept applies to solar panels. When solar panels are covered in dirt, dust, or debris, it can make it difficult to absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity. This can result in a significant decrease in energy production, which can be frustrating for homeowners who have invested in a solar energy system to reduce their energy costs and carbon footprint.

But fear not! Regular solar panel cleaning by Gutter-Vac Coffs Harbour’s experienced solar panel cleaners can help ensure that your solar energy system operates at peak efficiency and generates as much power as possible. By removing the dirt and debris that can accumulate on solar panels, you can increase their ability to absorb sunlight and convert it into electricity. This means more power for your home and more savings on your energy bills!

Cleaning solar panels regularly not only increases energy efficiency but also helps extend the lifespan of solar panels. Dirt and debris can create hot spots that damage the cells and reduce efficiency over time. By keeping panels clean, homeowners can prevent this damage and ensure their solar panels last for years to come.

So, if you want to get the most out of your solar energy system and maximise your return on investment, it’s essential to prioritise solar panel cleaning. Not only will it help increase energy efficiency and reduce your energy bills, but it will also help extend the lifespan of your solar panels and keep them performing at their best.

Get a quote if you’d like Gutter-Vac Coffs Harbour to clean your solar panels safely. We’ll make sure your solar panels are in tip-top shape, and ready to generate clean, renewable energy for many years to come.

The Best Process For Cleaning Solar Panels

Posted on September 24, 2022September 2, 2022 by Phillip Valencour

Your solar panels must be spick and span to continue functioning efficiently for years. Regular cleaning and maintenance sessions will ensure they remain in good shape and provide all your energy needs.

Solar panels are high-functioning devices that can easily get damaged if one doesn’t follow the correct cleaning procedures.

Whether you’re calling a commercial cleaner or doing a DIY job, here is the best process to follow when cleaning solar panels:

Solar Panel Equipment and Tools

The first step involves preparing all the right tools and equipment needed for an efficient cleaning job. Preparing these ahead of time will ensure a smooth and hassle-free process.

Here are the tools you need:

Cleaning solution (no harsh chemicals)
Clean water
Water hose
Cleaning brush with soft bristles
Squeegee
Hose nozzle

Using the right cleaning solution, soft brushes, and clean water is crucial. Any other equipment may lead to irreparable damage to your solar panels.

Safety Precautions

While some cleaning can be done from the ground, you will need to go where the panels are installed to complete the job.

Take all necessary safety precautions if you have to step on your roof. Assess the safety risks and determine whether you can do such a job yourself. If not, call in professional cleaners—they will clean your solar panels efficiently and safely, and you can rest assured that no damage will be done to your roof and installations.

Solar Panel Cleaning

Step 1

Shut down your solar panel system and all adjacent electrical components connected to it.

Step 2

Using a soft brush or cloth, carefully remove loose debris. You can use an extendable brush if working from the ground or a distance away.

Step 3

Wash away the dirt and loosen stubborn grime using a low-pressure garden hose with a nozzle.

For grime that won’t come off, try scrubbing with a cleaning solution and soft brush or microfibre cloth. The cleaning solution must be mild, non-abrasive, and non-caustic.

Step 4

Once again, use water to rinse off the dirt. Then, take a squeegee and wipe off all the water from the solar panels.

Repeat this thorough cleaning process every six months.

Gutter-Vac to the Rescue

Cleaning your solar panels yourself might save some money upfront, but you are putting your pricey installations. Plus, it is a lot of work when you consider all the preparation and care you need to take.

Why not give these high-functioning power sources the care they deserve and call a professional instead?

Gutter-Vac can help keep your solar power running strong by ensuring your solar panels are always ready to absorb all available sunlight. Give us a call to book an appointment today!

Gutter Cleaning in Coningham, An Incredible Job

Posted on November 5, 2021November 1, 2021 by Chris Dobson

“Always happy with the level of professionalism provided. Operator was punctual, courteous and did an incredible job. I had to leave part way through but all gates and areas that needed to be secured were as I instructed which is important to me as we have an elderly dog and the operator acknowledged that and made sure they closed gates behind him so thank you.. Will go again in twelve months’ time. Thank you 👍”
Karlo, Coningham Tas

Our technicians pay close attention to detail and endeavour to accommodate our customers’ requests. Customers trust our technicians to enter their property and complete work, you can trust that they have a high level of integrity. We look forward to seeing you again next year Karlo. Thank you for your feedback and business, it is greatly appreciated.

Before and After Solar Panel Clean

Before and After Gutter Clean

Solar Panel Cleaning In Launceston

Posted on September 24, 2021August 30, 2021 by Chris Dobson

Have you been told that your solar panels are self-cleaning?

If they are on a very steep angle and you get a fair amount of rain, then maybe you could get away with not cleaning your panels.

But most solar panels will require a clean. Birds defecate on them, trees leave pollen on them and moss and lichen grow on them. Everyday dirt and grime builds up and forms a layer over the glass.

Consider trying to look out of dirty glasses or a dirty window or windscreen. It is much clearer when they have been cleaned. The same can be said of solar panels. The cleaner they are the more efficient they are.

And let’s face it, you have gone to the expense of installing them so you may as well get the most out of them.

Just look at the difference in the before and after photo of the solar panel clean we completed in Launceston.

This client has requested that we clean their gutters every year and at the same time clean the panels. As we are there already, cleaning the gutters, we charge a reduced rate on the panel clean.

If you have not considered your solar panels before, it might be time to start now. And why not get the gutters done too?

Two jobs ticked of the list every year with a reminder from us when they are due. We will get the work done with as minimum of an interruption to your life as an email to see if you want the work completed that year. You don’t even have to be home when we do the work, as long as you are happy for us to be there without you.

You will be emailed a report and photos of the completed work along with your invoice, with our bank details. There is no face to face contact where COVID 19 is concerned. But if you want to talk to us we are happy to talk over the phone, through the door or window or face to face in keeping with the regulations of social distancing.

Booking a job is as easy as ringing, emailing or submitting a website enquiry.

Gutter Cleaning and Solar Panel Cleaning Done Together Saves Money

Posted on September 10, 2021August 30, 2021 by Chris Dobson

Did you know that when you combine a gutter clean with a solar panel clean, it is cheaper?

If you have solar panels, have you considered cleaning them? Keeping the panels clean, maximises the efficiency of them.

These solar panels are now clean and ready for the task at hand.

We use our safety equipment to attach to the roof to clean the gutters on most jobs. It takes time to get our ladders out and then access the roof and install our temporary anchor system.

If you have solar panels on the roof and you were to clean them at the same time as the gutter clean, it would mean setting up and packing up once to do two jobs. Gutter-Vac Tasmania provides a reduced rate on the solar panel clean when both jobs are done together.

Vacuum cleaning gutters from the roof is a safe exercise when using our company, as we are all trained to work at heights. The job can be done easily with no mess left behind.

Our insurances cover us to work at any height.

We provide free, no obligation quotes. Contact us to get yours today.

Does cleaning solar panels really matter?

Posted on June 22, 2021August 28, 2020 by Warren Ballantyne

Yes, cleaning solar panels does matter.

Over time, the surface of your solar panels will collect dust and grime. This dust and grime will actually reduce the efficiencies of your solar panels and the amount of electrical power they will produce. This is why it is important to clean your solar panels.

But before you go up and try and do this yourself, there are some things to note.

Lots of water, on a roof, with no safety equipment is a disaster waiting to happen so don’t DIY

You shouldn’t use chemicals on solar panels as this can damage them

You need to look out for wires – especially if birds or critters have been ‘nibbling’ on them

Special brushes should be used to clean solar panels

It is always best to leave this to the professionals to do, but rain alone will not clean your solar panels. A bit like rain on the windscreen of your car gets it wet, but it is the windscreen wipers that clean the window.

So yes, it does matter if you do or don’t get your solar panels cleaned, but it also matters on how they are cleaned. #leaveittotheprofessionals

Do You Have Moss Growing On Your Solar Panels?

Posted on March 19, 2021February 23, 2021 by Chris Dobson

Just the slightest of spots on a solar panel can cause an inefficiency in the output of power.

Dirty solar panels can lose up to 50% of efficiency, when compared to clean solar panels. These are the results of recent university research.

Do you drive around with a dirty windscreen on your car?

It is so much clearer looking through a clean windscreen. Using the wiper blades keeps the middle of the windscreen clear but when you look at the edge of the windscreen a dirty film collects and is not wiped by the blades. The visibility of light is obscured in the outer parts of your windscreen. This is the case on a solar panel, if light is obscured then this loss of light will decrease the efficiency of the panel.

Dust and grime collects and settles on the panel. Rain water carries particles that are left on the panel after the rain has evaporated. Moss and lichen grow in spots and reduce the efficiency.

If you have gone to the trouble and expense of installing a solar panel system, then you want to get the most out of them.

Gutter-Vac Tasmania cleans solar panels and we have a scheduling program to send out a reminder every year. We also reduce the price per panel when combining the solar clean with a gutter clean.

Why not obtain a no obligation free quote today for both solar cleaning and gutter cleaning.

Solar Panel Cleaning in Devonport

Posted on January 1, 2021December 22, 2020 by Chris Dobson

Do these look like they are self-cleaning panels to you?

Some of our clients have been told they would not have to clean their panels. The rain would wash away the filth. But dirt and grime collects and adds a film over them.

And what about the lichen that may grow? There is also pollen. It sticks to the panel in little yellow spots and even when cleaned off can leave a residue mark.

Cleaning your solar panels regularly will increase the output to your system. Even a small amount of dirt or lichen on your panel can decrease the output efficiency.

Imagine looking through dirty glasses all the time… It makes it hard to see through.

Then you clean them and how bright everything suddenly is!

It is the same with your solar panels.

Imagine just how much more rays can be soaked up if the panels are clean…

There is a certain process you need to follow when cleaning the panels on the roof.

To stay safe from slipping, we start with the lower panels, working from one end and to the other. Then we make our way to the top row of panels and stand above the row so we are not standing in the water used to clean the panels.

Always work either from bottom to top or across the roof and keep ahead of the water you are putting on the roof to clean the solar panels.

This is not a D.I.Y. task, as it requires safety equipment to work on the roof and has a high risk factor if you do not know how to manoeuvre around the roof and solar panels, avoiding the excess water.

Avoid the risk and get those panels soaking up the rays again. Call in the professionals and see what we can do for you. Combing a gutter clean with a solar panel clean gets you a special rate on the solar panel clean.

Call us for more information, PH 1300 654 253

Bird Proofing

Posted on August 24, 2020August 24, 2020 by Warren Ballantyne

Birds can cause a lot of issues to a property and we see them all. There are many ways you can protect your property from the results of birds plus their nesting behaviours and do this in a humane way that doesn’t cause injury or harm to the birds.

The biggest issue we come across with birds that can not only be dangerous but also costly is when birds get in under your solar panels and decide to nest. This is not only just birds, but also rodents and possums as well. The challenge with solar panels are that there are lots of wires and connections and these can easily be dislodged by the birds (or other critters) causing the panels to simply stop working.

There is a very simple fix to this and it is by placing a specialised mesh (that won’t affect your solar panels) that is clipped safely around the edge to deter and stop birds and critters from getting in and under your solar panels that could cause expensive damage to the wiring of your solar panels.

Did you know pigeon droppings can be toxic and we are often asked to remove them and we have to take a lot of precautions when doing so? Wouldn’t it be great if we could deter the pigeons from deciding to rest on your property from the start.

There are many ways to do this and most are with use of specialised mirrors, revolving objects and in some cases specialised ‘spikes’ to deter birds from taking a break and sitting on your property.

At Gutter-Vac we work closely with a company that manufacturers bird proofing devices so that we can install for our clients. Because we are fully safety trained and insured to work at heights, there are more things we can do than simply provide a vacuum gutter cleaning service to your property and bird proofing is a more common request than you would first assume.

So if you are having issues with birds or you simply want to protect your property (such as your solar panels) then give us a call and we can discuss your needs and find the best solution for you and your property.

Call your local franchisees on 1300 654 253.

How efficient are your solar panels?

Posted on August 24, 2020August 24, 2020 by Warren Ballantyne

It is not something that the average person thinks about on a day to day basis or even something you would notice, but as your solar panels are out in the elements, they will collect dust and dirt. This dust and dirt doesn’t always wash away with rain, it is often ‘stuck’ to the solar panels.

As the dirt and dust builds up, it will slowly, over time decrease the efficiency of your solar panels to convert solar into electricity for your property.

There is an easy solve and that is to simply clean your solar panels.

Now a word of warning. This is not a DIY job because firstly, being on the roof with a lot of water is extremely dangerous and without the right safety gear, it is so easy to slip and fall – onto the roof or off the roof. The second thing to note is that there is a way to clean solar panels so that you don’t damage them. Using chemicals or harsh scrubbing brushes could damage your solar panels beyond repair which would be a very expensive mistake.

You’d actually be surprised at just how dirty solar panels can get and how much this can reduce their effectiveness, so if you haven’t had your solar panels cleaned in a while (or ever) then give us a call for a free quote and let’s get those solar panels producing maximum energy output for you and your property.