California is no stranger to fires, but it feels like an insult to injury this year. If you’ve noticed your solar production has decreased—we’re seeing 15%–20% drops—don’t panic.
Solar production is affected by fires the same way it is with particularly cloudy weather. The ash particles in the sky (and on your panels) create a barrier that the sun has trouble penetrating.
Let’s help those panels out with a little fall cleaning:
- Use your trusty garden hose to rinse them off.
- Do NOT use high pressure. Let the stream of water work for you as the ash rolls off.
- Do NOT use abrasive cleaners. If you’re set on using a cleaner, Simple Green is an approved panel cleaner. We like using deionized water.
While spring is the season we usually recommend you have your panels cleaned (right before peak production months), we understand the current circumstances. If you don’t feel comfortable cleaning the panels yourself, contact us and we’ll get you a quote!