Solar Panels In Colorado

When the photons in sunlight hit the atoms in your solar panel, electrons can be kicked loose. Solar panels are designed to collect these disassociated electrons and store them in a battery to power your home and electronics.

The simple answer is any time they become obstructed by too much debris or grime to work efficiently. How long that takes will depend on your location. If you live near a populated downtown, your panels will get covered in soot faster, but if you live in a rainy place, your panels may stay cleaner longer. As a general rule, it is best to clean and inspect your solar panels every 6 months, but you may find it makes sense to clean them more often and get full efficiency from your clean solar panels.

Snow and Ice are rarely an issue for a properly installed and maintained solar panel system. Solar panels generate a good amount of heat through their operation and will usually melt any snowfall or ice accumulation. Solar panels are also almost always installed at an angle so snow and ice will generally slide right off. If your panels become entirely blocked by snow or ice, however, they will not generate power, the same as with any other debris that might cover your panels.

Solar panels are comprised of an array of solar cells (photovoltaic cells). These cells, made of silicon semiconductors, absorb sunlight to create electricity and then transfer the energy into the inverter. The cells are then networked together inside of a case along with some other components to create the panel. You can read more about how a solar panel is made in this article.

In most cases, cleaning your solar panels isn’t really necessary. They get a great rinse off every time it rains. However, if you live in a dry state you may need to clean them from time to time. It’s generally advised that you hire a professional to do this so that you don’t do any unintended damage to your solar panels. However, if you plan to do it yourself, it’s not all that difficult. All you really need is a hose, a good brush, and some patience. Make sure to take your time and gently, but thoroughly scrub the panels until all the dirt and debris is removed.

On average, you can fit about 25 to 28 solar panels for every 500 square feet of roof space. However, in some cases, homeowners will not be able to utilize the entire roof space due to shading or roof grade.