Solar Panel Cleaning Wiltshire

Our solar panel cleaning services are available across most of West Wiltshire in Bradford on Avon, Corsham, Chippenham, Calne, Devizes, Melksham, Trowbridge and Westbury in Wiltshire. We cover around these towns and also all the spaces between geographically.

The safest way to clean solar panels in our experience is by using the water fed pole method in combination with access equipment like a mobile scaffold tower and suitable PPE like electrically insulated gloves and boots. Using water fed poles from an access tower means your solar panels can be cleaned safely from a distance whilst at their height. It negates the need to get onto the roof where a fall or damage to tiles could occur. PPE such as the electrically insulated gloves and boots protect our cleaners from possible electric shock if there was a fault with the panels or wiring. Not all faults on solar panels or their wiring can be seen visually and while the risk of electrocution from cleaning a solar panel is very low; the possible injury that could occur is extremely high and so we feel it should not be risked.

Yes significantly and over time the loss of performance compounds. Reports vary but as general rule it’s estimated that dirty solar panels can loose between 6-25% on average. Let’s assume a ballpark 10% loss which isn’t unreasonable (a low estimate based on many panels we clean), that 10% loss would equate to roughly £150-£250 lost annually on a 16kw system. In many cases the money you loose from dirty solar panels over a year is less than the cost of having them cleaned.

We’ve heard this a lot and it’s not fully accurate. It really depends on the tilt of the panels and the environment around your solar panel installation. Solar Panels installed near trees and reasonably close to fields worked by farmers are at higher risk of being dirtier solar panels owing to these influences. If you have a chimney or aerial near to your solar panels you’re highly likely to see persistent bird droppings and lichen build up from the area closest to the chimney and/or aerial where birds will perch and inevitably poop. The truth is that while we have a lot or rain in West Wiltshire which helps to keep solar panels clean; over time it’s not enough to stop dirt and film building up. If you can view your solar panels from the ground it’s worth keeping an eye on them in light of how clean they are.

Yes we can generally clean solar panels not visible from ground level. We have our own mobile access tower which we can setup for inspection and cleaning of solar panels. We hold PASMA licenses for this that provide industry recognised competence for this equipment and for working at height so you can rest assured we are trained professionals. The mobile scaffold tower is certified for use by two people at a time and takes up a footprint roughly the size of a single bed to give you an idea. As long as you have this much space on the side of your property where the solar panels are on your roof this’ll be fine. We don’t require perfectly flat ground but it must be reasonably flat and stable. It has legs which are able to height adjust for moderate differences.

Yes, we can efficiently clean lichen off solar panels. We have been cleaning solar panels for almost 10 years and from experience we’re able to clean the dirtiest panels with our proven process which doesn’t involve chemicals or aggressive cleaning. Just the correct brushes and technique combined with a little time and patience will see stubborn lichen easily removed from your solar panels to reveal the shine underneath.

It’s important to note that when lichen forms it secretes oxylic acid which etches the solar panel surface causing a slight dulling. This aids the lichen in adhering to the otherwise smooth glass solar panel surface. Once the lichen is removed you may still be able to just make out the dull patches where there’s less shine where the lichen was adhered. It’s unavoidable where lichen has formed and been for any significant period of time. We recommend cleaning of your solar panels as soon as reasonable possible if you notice any lichen forming as it will spread and damage the solar panels surface if left.

No. All we need is exterior access to the side of your home where your solar panels are and for the ground on that side of the house to be clear so there’s footprint available for the tower to be erected. Our vans accommodate all the equipment, water and power that we need for cleaning. We’ll also need somewhere to park courteously for the duration of the visit reasonably close to the panels within 25 metres or so.

We don’t use chemicals to clean solar panels. Manufacturers guidelines and warranty terms vary so as a rule we avoid any chemical use outright. The use of chemicals on newer panels can sometimes void solar panel warranties and there’s question as to whether the use of chemicals may degrade or damage the solar panels seals that keep them watertight and protect from the weather. Some companies use chemicals for cleaning solar panels but we personally advise against this for the reasons stated here.

We would advise that you review your specific warranty. Many newer installers, especially with the Wiltshire solar together scheme, are using solar panels made in China with support exclusively through the installer so it may be the case that your warranty is worded via the installer rather than the manufacturer. We’d advise you explicitly clarify the warranty situation and terms with the installer and ask for the detail relating to ‘cleaning and maintenance’.

With an asset like solar panels the common approach is that ‘reasonable care and maintenance’ should be upheld by you as the owner which leaves the question of what is reasonable. Generally speaking if your solar panels are showing any moss, significant algae on them or lichen then it’s a good indication they need cleaning. Would the average person if asked say that your solar panels are dirty or not? If yes, then you are at risk of a warranty provider using that same general context question in support of denying a claim if there was a fault with your solar panels.

We’re insured for public liability which covers generic working risks and accidents that result from our working. We’re also insured specifically for the task of cleaning solar panels and this also includes insurance for the possibility of damage to property we’re working on. Many insurance policies held by businesses exclude this for cost reasons. We operate as we would expect and we ensure we’re thorough with our insurance coverage.

For working at height we hold PASMA licenses which cover the use of mobile scaffold and access towers. This also covers working at height.

Additionally, we have CPD certified training for ‘Electrical Awareness’ which is vital in our assessment when working on an electrical devices like solar panels. These assets of certification, insurance and training demonstrate our competence and suitableness for being a primary choice for your solar panel needs in West Wiltshire.

Solar Panel Cleaning for an average home in Wiltshire with 8 solar panels would cost £169 for a standard clean including a safety assessment and access equipment all in. This would increase to £189 for a 10 panel solar array and £229 for a home in Wiltshire with 14 panels which is towards the higher end of system size in West Wiltshire. If your solar panels have lichen on them and you require Intensive cleaning you would expect the cleaning for an 8 panel system the be £201, a 10 panel system to be £229 and a 14 panel system with lichen to be £285 including safety inspections and access equipment on the day.

In theory you certainly can but given the accessibility, equipment and PPE requirements we would advise against DIY solar panel cleaning.

Rainwater will aid in cleaning your solar panels but ultimately will not provide enough cleaning over time to keep solar panels sufficiently clean to ensure top efficiency and maximum energy production. In Wiltshire solar panels will see a lot of organic contamination on your solar panels over time which will require physical agitation to remove.

Yes because cleaning your solar panels will nearly always increase the amount of energy your solar panels can produce. If you have solar panels on the Feed-in tariff in Wiltshire then you’ll usually benefit from much higher payments for each unit of energy your solar panels produce. Some homeowners reports receiving up to 70p per kWh. With this is mind, check your bills to see if you are on the feed-in tariff or check if you have the older style blue solar panels because you are at risk of loosing a lot of money if your solar panels loosing production because of dirt, algae or lichen.

For the average house in Wiltshire we can arrive, setup, clean your solar panels and pack up in roughly 2-3 hours.

Yes because when we clean your solar panels we don’t touch or interact with your roof at all. We clean only your solar panels and won’t disturb any part of your roof whatsoever.

You should look for visible signs of dirt, lichen or moss on your solar panels to indicate whether they require cleaning or not. Also, it’s advisable to keep an eye on your solar panels productivity to identify any drops in production from their trends. Solar panel inverters will typically display their output during daylight hours so it’s worth taking a look most days just to make sure your solar panels are operating okay.

We certainly can. It’s a simple process but adds to the lead time of how quickly we can attend to clean your solar panels. If you have a power line near to your solar panels then we’ll arrange for the power line to be shrouded and therefore protecting us from the possibility of electrical shock when we later attend for your solar cleaning. This doesn’t cost you anything and we can fully arrange this with your DNO.

No because the amount of water that is used is very low and it’s introduced slowly meaning the water has no fast impact on the temperature of the solar panels. In order to cause a crack in your solar panels due to heat shock you’d need to introduce a large volume of very cold water very quickly. Our cleaning systems are simply not able to flow enough water quick enough for this to ever happen. Our water is also close to ambient temperature so there’s no huge variance in temperature.