In the first part of this series of posts, we started by exploring the costs of going solar. In this part, we delve into the related costs of giving your system proper maintenance.
Question 2. Is it really difficult/expensive to clean/maintain Solar Panels?
There’s so much to say about this!
But to get in context, let’s put it in these terms: If you can pay your electricity bill month after month, then giving maintenance to your solar panel won’t lead you to bankruptcy.
However, you do need to take into account other factors intervening in the state of your solar solution to encompass the extension of its maintenance, for example:
- Climate conditions. Here, you need to consider rain and snow levels, dust, forests, etc.
- The size of your solar installation.
- State the other components of your solar system (batteries, wiring, hinges, structures, etc.).
Are There Any Other Aspects to Consider When Giving Maintenance to my Solar System?
Additionally to this, we can distinguish a variety of maintenance services to execute on a solar system. Roughly, we can distinguish between Preventive Maintenance (PM) and Corrective Maintenance (CM).
Preventive Maintenance, also referred to as PM, is a proactive maintenance strategy that involves regular and routine maintenance of equipment to reduce the likelihood of failure leading to unplanned downtime.
Power and Energy Solutions
Corrective maintenance is a reactive measure and it takes place after a failure detection either by remote monitoring and supervision or during regular inspections and specific measurement activities.
TrackSo Sales Team
Then, maintenance can go from cleaning up to replacing damaged or obsolete components, implying different approaches. For example, if for maintenance you mean washing off dust and mud, you can DIY with a hose and soapy water.
Cleaning up the surface of your solar panels is not that different from cleaning up your windows, and you certainly won’t clean them up as often as other areas of your home. However, we strongly recommend you consult your solar expert before taking it into your own hands.
But, if for maintenance you mean: checking and replacing hinges, appliances, supports, structure, wiring, and batteries, that’s a different thing. If that is the case, you need an expert to take stock of your solar solution meaning here evaluating damaged or obsolete pieces, components, and appliances to be replaced or updated.
So, How Much Maintenance Costs? How Often Should I Give Maintenance to My Solar Solution?
As every maintenance approach implies using different resources, the final amount of your maintenance bill will change. However, as solar solutions usually need annual maintenance, their associated expenses cannot be compared with paying a variable monthly electricity bill.
Here, our opening statement fully assumes its meaning: If you can pay your electricity bill month after month, then giving maintenance to your solar panel won’t lead you to bankruptcy.
Before leaving you to do your math, we share with you more expert wisdom: Maintenance is not an expense but an investment that guarantees the proper functioning of your solar solution, and improves your quality of life.
At Powersmith, we provide up to 30 year warranty for maintenance services through our installers. Also, we typically monitor solar systems to ensure that it performs as expected and in case any panels defaults, our installers replace the them at zero cost for you.