Solar cleaning
Solar panel cleaning
Irish rain keeps panels surprisingly clean — and everyone selling cleaning services would rather not tell you that. What rain does not shift is exactly what costs you output: bird droppings, moss, lichen, pollen and farm dust.
- Deionised water, soft brushes
- Any brand, any installer
- Inspection included
Accredited & registeredIn business 13 years
SEAI Registered
Safe Electric
Solar Ireland Member- Athlone Chamber Member
- Based in AthloneTrading since 2013
The honest version
When cleaning pays, and when it does not
Rain handles light dust. It does not handle the stubborn soiling that builds up in Irish conditions.
Bird droppings get baked on and are acidic enough to etch glass over time. Moss and lichen colonise panel edges in damp, shaded spots. Pollen films build through spring, and farms add harvest dust on top. Because panel cells are wired in series, a small patch of hard soiling can drag down a whole string — the loss is disproportionate to the dirt.
The best guide is your monitoring data, not the calendar. If output has slipped against the same months last year and the weather has not changed, soiling is the usual suspect. If your panels are visibly clean and producing on benchmark, we will tell you to keep your money — and mean it.
Roughly how often
A standard suburban roof often needs attention only every year or two. Farms, coastal properties, homes under trees and roofs with bird activity need it more often. We advise per property rather than selling a schedule.
Method
How we clean — and what we never do
Panels are toughened glass with an anti-reflective coating and sealed edges. Cleaning them properly is about protecting those three things while removing the soiling.
What a visit includes
- Deionised water and soft-bristle brushes — no detergent residue, no scratched coating
- Safe access equipment for the roof in question, not a ladder and hope
- Visual inspection while we are up there — cracked glass, lifted flashing, cable condition, nesting
- A before-and-after note against your monitoring output where data is available
- Any brand, any installer — we clean systems we did not fit
What we never use
- No pressure washers. They force water past edge seals and can crack glass — the single most common way owners damage their own panels
- No abrasive brushes or scourers. The anti-reflective coating does not grow back
- No chemical cleaners. Bleach and strong detergents degrade seals and can void the panel warranty
If you have safe ground-level access, you can do a light clean yourself with plain water and a soft brush — we will happily tell you how. Anything at height belongs with people who are equipped for it.
Pricing
Priced by panel count, quoted before we travel
Cleaning is priced on the number of panels, the access required and where you are. You get the figure before we come — no surveying surprises for a cleaning job. Bundling a clean with afull maintenance inspection is usually the best value, because the access cost is shared across both.
- Domestic roofs, farm sheds and commercial arrays
- Scheduled while you get on with your day — no access to the house needed for most roofs
- Written note of anything we spot that needs attention
Good to know
Solar panel cleaning: common questions
How long do solar panels last?
We install glass-glass panels — glass on both faces rather than a plastic backsheet — which carry a 30-year warranty. The inverters and batteries we fit are warranted for 10 years or more, and an inverter should still be expected to need replacement at least once over the life of the system. Your quote names the exact equipment and its exact warranty terms.
Do solar panels need maintenance?
They need very little, but "very little" is not "none". Irish conditions bring moss, lichen, salt and agricultural dust, and soiling reduces output gradually enough that owners often do not notice. Periodic inspection, cleaning where needed, and monitoring so faults are caught early are what keep an array performing across its full life.
Can I add a battery or EV charger to an existing system?
Usually yes, though it depends on your existing inverter and consumer unit. Some systems accept a battery directly, others need an additional AC-coupled unit. We can assess a system we did not install and tell you what is possible before you commit to anything.
How do I get paid for electricity I export?
Export payments come from your electricity supplier under the Clean Export Guarantee, not from the government. When we commission your system we notify ESB Networks (the NC6 or NC7 form), which is what registers you as a microgenerator; your supplier then applies its export rate to your account. With a smart meter your actual export is measured; rates vary by supplier, so it is worth comparing.
Does solar affect my BER or my house insurance?
Solar PV normally improves a BER, because it reduces the calculated primary energy use of the home — and a post-works BER assessment is part of the SEAI grant process anyway. On insurance: tell your insurer you have added solar, as with any alteration to the building. Cover for panels is routine.
Do solar panels actually work in the Irish climate?
Yes. Solar PV responds to daylight, not heat or direct sunshine, so panels generate on bright overcast days as well as clear ones. Output is strongly seasonal in Ireland — summer generation is far higher than winter — which is why we size a system around your year-round consumption pattern rather than a headline figure.
Do I need planning permission for solar panels?
Most domestic rooftop installations in Ireland fall under planning exemptions, and exemptions for rooftop solar have been broadened considerably in recent years. Exemptions carry conditions, and some buildings — protected structures and certain locations in particular — are treated differently. We confirm the position for your specific property at survey stage and tell you plainly if permission is needed.
How long does an installation take?
A typical domestic installation is completed in a small number of days on site once the system is designed, the grant offer is in place and materials are scheduled. Commercial and farm projects run longer and are phased around your operations. We give you a specific timeline in your quotation rather than a generic estimate.
Explore
Other things we do
Most systems we install combine more than one of these. We design them together rather than bolting them on afterwards.
Solar Maintenance & Support
Inspections, monitoring and repairs that keep an array earning across its warranted life.
Learn more
AI Performance Analysis
Your monitoring data, actually read. Automated analysis that flags underperformance and unusual patterns for investigation.
Learn more
Domestic Solar PV
Solar PV designed around how your household actually uses electricity — with the SEAI grant guided every step.
Learn more
Get started
Book a cleaning visit
Tell us the panel count and where you are. We will quote before we travel, and tell you honestly if your panels do not need it yet.