If you’re a homeowner in Hobart looking to keep your home clean and running efficiently, this article is for you. Gutters and solar panels play a key role in the performance of your home’s systems, and they need to be maintained regularly!
Obviously, you can hire a professional for solar panel cleaning and gutter cleaning, but many homeowners want to do it themselves. This article explains everything you need to know to keep your solar panels and gutters clean, whether you want to do it yourself or hire a professional! We’ll cover why each of these home maintenance tasks is so important, how you can do it, and how to choose a reliable professional if you do decide to hire someone instead. So let’s get started!
How Are Solar Panels & Gutters Connected?
You might be wondering, why are we talking about solar panels and gutters in the same article? Well, they are both connected! Solar panels are a big investment, so of course, we want to keep them in top condition. And gutters play a big part in taking care of your solar panels! Gutters help direct rainwater away from your roof. This overflow can lead to debris building up on your panels, which blocks sunlight and reduces your solar system’s efficiency. By keeping your gutters clean, you keep this dirty water and debris away from your roof. This keeps your solar panels clean and protects them from damage.
But solar panels can affect your gutters too! Because solar panels are usually installed at an angle, rainwater can run off them and into your gutters in greater volume. Your panels can also cast shade over your gutters, which can encourage moss growth. This, along with other debris, can quickly clog up your gutters and cause problems.
So now you know how solar panel cleaning and gutter cleaning are connected, let’s look at each one individually in more detail.
Why You Should Clean Your Solar Panels
Because solar panels live on your roof and often below trees, they are in a prime location to accumulate layers of bird droppings, tree sap, grime, and dust. This buildup reduces the amount of sunlight that can reach your panels, causing a significant drop in your solar panel efficiency!
If you live in a dusty area, like beside a main road, or your home is located in a leafy suburb like Hobart, your solar panels are going to face even more build-up. Regular solar panel cleaning is crucial to keep your system running at full efficiency and maximise your energy savings!
Many homeowners think that rain is enough to clean their solar panels, but this is a big misconception. Rainfall might even make the situation worse by pushing dust into the corners of your solar panels. This can cause your panels to heat up, reducing efficiency even more. But how can you clean solar panels properly without damaging them? Let’s find out.
How To Do It!
Before you attempt solar panel cleaning yourself, it’s important to consider two factors: safety and warranty. If cleaning your solar panels involves working at heights, you need to make sure you know what you are doing and follow all the necessary safety precautions, which we will discuss in a minute. If you have any doubts, it’s better to call a professional Hobart solar panel cleaning company.
You should also check your warranty and make sure that carrying out DIY cleaning won’t void it! Some manufacturers stipulate that for your warranty to be valid, your panels must be cleaned by licensed professionals. So just make sure you check on that before going ahead!
Okay, now that’s out of the way, and if you still want to clean your panels yourself, here’s how it’s done:
- The first step is to shut off your solar panels to remove the risk of electrocution. Then you can use a ladder and a safety harness to go up and inspect your panels. If you aren’t experienced or don’t have the right safety equipment, please don’t attempt this. Get the professionals to do it for you!
- If, after inspecting, you see that your solar panels are dirty, you can gather your tools. You will need a bucket of soapy water, a soft brush, a squeegee, and a hose with a spraying nozzle. Never use abrasive tools or harsh cleaners on your solar panels, as you could scratch the panels!
- Rinse your panels with water first to remove any loose dirt.
- Then use the soft brush with soapy water to gently clean the surface.
- Finally, rinse them again with clean water and use the squeegee to remove any excess water.
And you’re done! One pro tip for solar panel cleaning is to always check the weather forecast beforehand. It’s always best to clean solar panels on a cloudy day, because the direct sunlight can cause the water to evaporate too fast.
Why You Should Clean Your Gutters
Okay, now it’s time for gutters. They are often overlooked areas of home maintenance, yet their function is crucial to protecting our homes from water damage! When gutters are blocked up with dirt, leaves, twigs, and even pests, the water will overflow and damage your roof and foundations. Overflow from clogged gutters can also wreck your beautiful garden! Keeping your gutters clean will help prevent serious water damage to your home.
Clean gutters also help you prevent unwanted visitors! Gutters full of damp leaves and twigs provide the perfect home for insects, birds, and small rodents. Regular gutter cleaning will remove all these home-making materials and stop these creatures from moving in.
How To Do It!
Now, let’s see how you can clean your gutters properly:
- First, get your tools together. You’ll need a sturdy ladder, a bucket or bag for collecting debris, gloves, a trowel/scoop, and a hose for rinsing everything off.
- Next, you want to scoop out all the large debris with your trowel or scoop.
- Once you’ve removed as much debris as you can, you can rinse the gutters off with the hose to get rid of any leftover dirt. Don’t forget to clean the downspouts too!
- Finally, check your gutters to make sure water is now flowing freely. Then all you have to do is clean up!
Again, please remember to be very careful when working at height and don’t do anything that makes you feel unsafe. If you’re not experienced or comfortable with working at height, then don’t hesitate to hire a professional gutter cleaning service to do it for you!
Do I Have To Hire Professionals?
You don’t have to hire professionals for solar panel cleaning and gutter cleaning, but many homeowners prefer to! It really depends on each person, though. Safety is the biggest consideration. Working at heights is no joke, so it should only be done with the right safety equipment and experience. Many homeowners don’t feel comfortable climbing ladders and going on the roof, or don’t have the skills and equipment, so they choose to hire a professional.
Time is another big factor in this decision! Most of us just don’t have the time or even the energy to do these home maintenance tasks ourselves. After a long week of work, the last thing you want is to be climbing on the roof and cleaning your solar panels!
Of course, DIY cleaning can save you money, which is why many homeowners prefer to do it themselves. But whatever you decide, the important thing is that you stay safe, and that the cleaning jobs get done properly!
Choosing A Reliable Cleaning Team
If you do decide to hire a professional Hobart gutter cleaning or solar panel cleaning team, I have a few tips to help you choose a good one. My best tip is to choose a cleaning team that offers both of these services! It makes things so much easier when you can book two home maintenance jobs through one company. They might even be able to do both jobs on the same day.
Here is a checklist of the most important things you should look for when choosing a professional:
- Fully Licensed & Experienced: Check that their team is fully insured and compliant with WHS regulations. They should have Public Liability Insurance that covers up to $20 million. A valid Working with Children Check is good if you have a family. And they should also have a Working at Heights ticket.
- Great Reputation: Check local reviews to ensure they deliver outstanding results. Look out for reviews that mention arriving on time, sticking to their quote, and friendly service. If they have a positive reputation in the community, it’s a really good sign.
- Safety: Make sure they use regulated safety equipment and harnesses, and can work safely around your home and family.
- Affordable Prices: Look for a company that offers competitive pricing with no hidden fees. This will ensure you get high-quality service that works with your budget.
Whether you hire a professional or do it yourself, don’t neglect gutter cleaning and solar panel cleaning. Do it regularly, and keep your home in top condition!