Congratulations! You’ve made the fantastic decision to have a solar panel system installed at your home, and are now ready to reap its many benefits! However, can you just leave the system to work its magic, or is there anything you should do to help it along, or preserve it?
Many homeowners wonder if having a solar system installed requires much effort on their part, and while such systems typically need very little maintenance thanks to the absence of any moving parts, there are a few things to keep in mind:
Monitor the system
Solar systems often come with remote monitoring systems that enable you to easily check on their production, and it’s always a good idea to familiarize yourself with it so that you check on its performance and ensure that it’s functioning as it should.
If your solar panel system doesn’t have a remote monitoring system, however, it’s production will still be monitored by your local utility company. They’ll have a meter that closely monitors the energy your household consumes, and the amount of energy you generate. When the energy/power you produce exceeds the amount that your household needs, that excess is then sent into the electric utility’s grid, in the form of a credit. When this happens, the meter begins to run backward.
Maintaining the system
In most instances, a professionally installed solar panel system will require next to no maintenance or cleaning. While dust and debris will inevitably form on the surface of the panels, all it takes is a rainstorm, and they’re washed clean and ready to continue producing green energy for your home. That said, it is worth periodically checking the panels to make sure they’re not grubby, or that bird droppings or any other particularly stubborn stains, haven’t built up on them. If they do look dirty and you’re concerned, you can always call up the company who installed them and ask them to come out and inspect them, and clean them if necessary. Depending on the position of the panels, accessing them without professional equipment can be dangerous, and it’s always best have professionals do it, safely.
You should also check every now and then, that nothing is obstructing the panels and that all the equipment is in good working order; in the majority of instances, this can be done through the solar panel monitoring system, from the comfort of your home.
And that’s really all there is to it! A professionally installed solar panel system will typically look after itself, and continue to produce clean, green energy for your home, for many, many years to come.
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