Solar Panel Cleaning in Gilbert, AZ

Solar Panel Cleaning matters more in Gilbert than in rainier places. The town averages only about 9.2 inches of rain a year, so the natural rinse that keeps panels clean elsewhere does not happen often here. Fine dust drifts in from fields and construction sites, monsoon storms coat everything in a layer of grit, and any rain that does fall can turn that dust into a muddy film that dries hard on the glass.

How much dirt costs you

Dirty panels still work, but less light reaches the cells. Light, even dust costs a little. Heavy, uneven dirt costs more, and bird droppings are the worst case, because they block light completely in one spot. On a string inverter system, a few heavily soiled panels can pull down the output of the whole string. HomeGuide notes that homes in dry or dusty regions generally need more cleaning than homes in wet ones, and suggests cleaning after major storms.

When to clean

Most homes do well with inspection and cleaning once or twice a year, which is HomeGuide's general guidance. For Gilbert, sensible times are:

• Late spring, before the long hot stretch when the system has the most to give
• After monsoon season, which the National Weather Service counts as June 15 to September 30, once the dust storms are over
• After a haboob, if your monitoring shows a clear drop in output

The best way to decide is to watch your production. If output drops after a storm and does not recover, it is time to wash.

How we clean

We use soft brushes and purified, low-mineral water. Ordinary tap water carries dissolved minerals that can leave white spots on glass that can be harder to remove than the dust. We do not use pressure washers, abrasive pads or harsh detergents, which can damage the anti-reflective coating on the glass or force water into seals. We work early in the day, before the glass gets hot, because cold water on hot panels can stress the glass and evaporates before it rinses clean.

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A cleaning visit is also a look

While we are on the roof, we look for things that a homeowner on the ground cannot see: droppings or nests at the edges that suggest pigeons, cracked glass, discolored or burned spots on panels, loose wiring hanging below the array, and cracked tile around mounts. If something needs repair, we note it and show you photos. We do not pad a cleaning with repair work you did not ask for.

Should you clean them yourself?

You can rinse ground-mounted panels or a low single-story roof with a hose and a soft brush, using water early in the morning. Climbing onto a two-story roof or a tile roof is a different matter. Tile cracks under the wrong footstep, and wet glass and tile are slippery. Most homeowners decide the fall risk and the risk of breaking tile are not worth the savings.

Pairing cleaning with other work

If you have pigeons under the array, cleaning the glass without removing the nests means it will be dirty again soon. Combining the cleaning with pigeon proofing solves both. If your panels are coming off for a reroof, cleaning before reinstall is easy and inexpensive.