Learn some solar roof cleaning tips to maintain your solar shingles and explore common issues and troubleshooting ideas to keep your solar roof working its best.
Why Is Solar Roofing Maintenance Important?
With over 260 sunny days per year, Los Angeles is the perfect place to install solar roofing. Solar shingles harvest the sun’s energy to power your home, reducing your energy costs in an efficient, compact, and aesthetically pleasing way. Regular solar panel roof upkeep is the best way to help your roof maintain its value and deliver reliable energy savings.
Energy Efficiency
Solar shingles are the best type of roofing shingle for energy efficiency, but they need cleaning and maintenance to perform properly. Anything that blocks sunlight from reaching your solar shingles reduces the amount of energy they can harvest, impacting your energy savings. Proactive maintenance keeps your solar shingles working efficiently so they can power your home, save you money, and even qualify you for federal tax credits.
Long-term Functioning
Proper maintenance extends the lifespan and performance of your solar roof. Regular checkups help catch issues before they become costly, while good cleaning practices reduce the likelihood of leaks, scratches, and other roofing issues.
How To Properly Maintain Solar Shingles
Developing a regular cleaning and maintenance schedule helps you properly care for your solar roofing shingles.
Keep a Cleaning Schedule
Clean your solar panels every three to six months, typically in the spring and fall. Setting a calendar reminder helps to establish a regular schedule so you don’t miss routine cleanings.
Vegetation and Tree Maintenance
Solar panels perform best when they can access the maximum amount of sunlight, so remove any obstructions that cast shadows on your roof. If trees and vegetation grow near your solar shingles, trim any large overhanging branches to prevent them from interfering with your solar roof.
Best Practices for Cleaning Your Solar Roof
The following tips can help you maintain a clean, well-functioning solar roof.
Disconnect the Power
Remember to turn off your solar roof before you begin cleaning or other work. This is an important safety precaution and helps preserve the functioning of your solar array.
Clean After Major Weather Events
In general, spring and fall cleanings help remove debris build-up from winter and dust from summer. However, you may need additional cleaning after a significant weather event. Storms and heavy rain can blow leaves, dirt, and other contaminants onto your roof, obstructing or damaging your solar panels. Cleaning this promptly removes barriers to collecting light and helps catch potential damage.
Use Gentle Materials
Solar shingles are durable, but they respond best to gentle care. Avoid heavy pressure, hard soaps, and chemicals. Wipe down your panels with a soft cloth or gentle brush. A dish soap and water solution is usually a safe option, or you can purchase specialty solar panel soap if you’d like the extra precaution.
How Often Should You Check Your Solar Roofing System?
Solar roof checkups are key to keeping your roof in good condition. Ideally, you want a mix of in-depth professional assessments and regular at-home assessments for well-rounded solar roofing system care.
Annual Professional Checkups
It’s recommended that you book a professional solar roof checkup once a year. During this in-depth assessment, we will examine the solar panels, check the connections, and review the entire system.
Monthly Home Checkups
Perform a quick home assessment about once a month. Do this by safely standing on a ladder or raised area and taking a quick look — there’s no need to climb on the roof. While this won’t be as detailed as a professional checkup. This is a good way to check for dirt, debris, branches, and damage.
Common Issues and Troubleshooting Tips
Cleaning and maintenance can solve many solar roof issues. Before you begin assessments or troubleshooting, remember to turn off the power to your solar roofing system. Here are some common problems and tips for diagnosing them.
Dirt Buildup
Dirt and debris may land on your roof through heavy winds, as leaves fall, and during the dusty summer months. A good indication of dirty panels is a decline in your roof’s energy gathering. If you’ve noticed your panels generating less power than expected, check for visible dirt or debris. Turn off the power to your system and give the panels an extra cleaning with a long-handled soft brush or cloth to see if this resolves the issue.
Obstructions
Another common problem is obstructions from trees and vegetation. Shade over your solar shingles causes them to lose sunlight access. A visual check can quickly tell you if anything is blocking your panels. Trim back the vegetation or branches and see if your panels start harvesting more power.
Power loss
If the power to your system cuts out entirely, it often indicates an electrical issue. Try turning the whole system off and on again — sometimes a power outage can trip the breaker, causing your system to reset.
If this doesn’t solve the issue, contact the pros at LocalRoofs.
Damaged shingles
Minor damage like cracks and scratches can slightly reduce your energy efficiency, while major damage from extreme weather may fully crack or even pull off a roof panel. A visual check can usually alert you to major damage, but you’ll need to call a roofing pro to repair or replace the damaged panel.
Extending the Lifespan of Your Solar Roof
Practicing regular solar roofing system maintenance is the best way to extend the lifespan of solar shingles. Good cleaning practices boost the performance of your panels and reduce wear and tear. Routine assessments help catch any small issues before they snowball and damage your system.
At LocalRoofs, we offer a 25-year leak-free warranty on our solar roof products and labor. Your roof is guaranteed to last at least 25 years, but with regular maintenance, professional checkups, and good cleaning practices, you can often extend that lifespan to 30 years or more.
Contact LocalRoofs for Solar Roofing Maintenance in Southern CA
From new solar shingle installations to cleaning, maintenance, and repairs, LocalRoofs is your go-to solar roofing expert. Our licensed professionals deliver reliable care with great customer service so you can find solar roofing solutions that fit your home and budget.
With locations in Los Angeles, Orange County, and East Bay, we’re proud to serve the Southern California region. Contact us to schedule an appointment and find out how solar roofing can help save you money on your energy bills.
