Many homeowners in South Central Texas choose to install solar panels on their property to lower their energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint. Although solar panels are known to be low maintenance, they still require care from time to time to ensure they continue to operate efficiently each season. Proper maintenance will increase their lifespan and avoid repairs that may be needed in the future.
Here are a few tips you can follow to maintain your GVEC Solar Services solar panels.
1. Clean Your Solar Panels
Dusty areas can affect the quality and function of solar panels, which makes it necessary to clean the surface to remove dirt, grime and bird droppings that accumulate over time. Excess dirt that builds up can block the rays of the sun and prevent as much energy from being produced. If your panels are installed at ground level, you can use a standard garden hose to rinse off debris. If your garden hose can’t reach roof-mounted panels, it’s probably best to leave the cleaning to professionals.
2. Remove Ice or Sleet from Your Solar Panels
South Central Texas rarely gets significant snowfall during winter, but we’re not immune from sleet and freezing rain. If ice covers your panels, it could affect their performance. In that case, you can either remove it with a simple squeegee or just wait, and the Texas sunshine will take care of it for you. However, we strongly recommend against trying to reach roof-mounted panels during icy weather.
3. Perform an Annual Inspection of Your Solar Panels
Consider adding an annual inspection of your solar panels to your spring cleaning checklist. Doing so can help increase the lifespan of your panels. Check for missing bolts, excessive cracking or wear, roof drainage issues, water damage, signs of animal infestations, corrosion on electrical enclosures and vegetation growth. Isolation tests can also be performed by a professional to identify if any damage has occurred to the wiring.
Reputable Solar Services
At GVEC Solar Services, we offer a complete line of solar panel systems and installation services. All our systems include a 25-year warranty on parts and a 10-year warranty on labor. To learn more about GVEC Solar Services, call us at 855.898.8807.
