Good quality solar panels can last for around 35 years, but surprisingly the good quality panels have a performance warranty of 25 years. So, if you are taking care of them properly, they can give you a maximum output for more than 25 years.
Solar panels convert sunlight into energy. As long as the sun is up, solar panels are generating electricity for your home. Solar panels are generally extremely low maintenance. However, any debris such as dust, vegetation, or snowfall can limit electricity production. If you live in a region that is dusty or you go through snowfalls, you need to clean your solar panels annually to improve electricity production. Below is effective maintenance advice to increase your new solar panels’ lifespan and productivity.
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Make Sure the Solar Panels are Getting Enough Sunlight
There are a few different ways of mounting your solar panels. The most common ways are mounting on your roof or on the ground. Residential and commercial buildings normally install theirs on the rooftop where they can get the most sunlight directly. Depending on the layout for farms, it may make more sense to ground mount your solar panels because of the amount of land available.
Your solar panel system layout must be planned out to make the most of your energy production. If your panels are blocked by shade during the day, the energy generation could drastically reduce. If you want maximum output from your solar panel system, make sure they are placed in the best location.
Check your Solar Panels After Any Unfavorable Weather Conditions
A tornado, storm, or hurricane could easily damage solar panels. In all likelihood, the damage could be irreparable during severe storms. Solar panel glass is durable. In many cases, it can endure hail, sandstorms, the weight of snow, and several inches of rain. These broken solar panels have a direct impact on production, so if you notice anything – cracks, holes, broken parts– contact an expert to get it fixed.
Remove Potential Hazards for Solar Panels
Trees, pests, and water can cause a lot of damage to the solar panels if you’re not too careful. Tree branches can fall, pests can eat the wires, and water can make its way under the solar panel glass if the panels aren’t properly sealed.
Simply maintain your home and don’t let your trees overgrow and pests run rampant. Solar panels are extraordinarily easy to maintain even with these potential risks.
Monitor Solar Energy Usage
In today’s market all solar inverters come with monitoring capability. Depending on the inverter, you may monitor using a physical monitoring system or an online solar inverter monitoring app. A string inverter typically has physical monitoring capabilities. A microinverter is a small scale inverter that has online monitoring capabilities.
String Inverter
- One inverter is connected to multiple panels wired together
- Less expensive than microinverter
- Solar panel output affects all solar panels
- Shorter lifespan
- Easy to troubleshoot
Microinverter
- More expensive than string inverter
- 1 microinverter to 1 solar panel
- Controls individual production of each solar panel
- Still much go through the string inverter
- More electricity production
- Longer lifespan + 25 year warranties
The inverter is how your home receives solar energy. It converts Direct Current (DC) energy into Alternating Current (AC). Inverters influence the amount of solar energy the home receives. It tells the energy where to go based on your settings. In some cases, your inverter will transfer your excess energy to the power grid or to your solar batteries if you have any. If your energy generation is lower than normal, it’s best to check your inverters to ensure your energy usage and production meet expectations.
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Check the Roof Penetration and Rack
This has more to do with your roof maintenance but if your solar panels are roof mounted, it’s important to maintain your roof to prevent unwanted leaks and roof defects. Solar companies, such as Moment Solar, offer installation service warranties to cover roof damages. NEVER try to fix your roof yourself. It is best to leave it to the service team who installed the panels.
