Recently Installed Solar Panels? Consider These Roofing Maintenance Tips
Investing in solar panel infrastructure can be a proud moment for any homeowner. It signifies a forward-looking approach to maintaining your property and will no doubt pay dividends over the years too. Of course, this can also reduce the carbon footprint of your household, because there’s nothing more sustainable than using sunlight for energy - at least while it’s still around.
That said, the installation of solar panels can sometimes imply the need to maintain your roof a little more than normal, or at least to go about maintaining it in a different way. After all, not only do you need to care for your roofing system now, but also the panels and their integrity. This is why many people repair, replace or have their roof fully serviced using reliable roof cleaning companies to help them.
Let’s consider, them, how to go about this renewed approach to maintenance after the installation has been applied:
Dusting & Debris Take Precedence
Dirt, dust, and debris can accumulate on your solar panels, reducing their efficiency over time, and most often during the windier or hotter periods. If you periodically clean your panels with a gentle detergent and water, following the manufacturer's guidelines, you’ll have a much better chance of taking care of them.
Additionally, make sure your gutters are clear of debris, as clogged gutters can lead to water backup and damage to your roof and panels, as well as harm any other water runoff measures you have. The last thing you need is to come back from vacation and see water pooling on your roof or at the side of your building. Falling branches can damage panels or cause roof damage if you’re not careful, too. Regularly trim overhanging branches to prevent those potential problems. Moreover, leaves and debris can accumulate on your roof, blocking sunlight from reaching your solar panels, so brush them off on a semi-regular basis too, especially during the fall.
Misalignment Or Improper Fitting
Heavy winds, storms or perhaps struggling infrastructure can sometimes shift your solar panels and cause them to be out of alignment. You might find that a bracket is out of place as well, which could cause potential issues if you’re not careful. This might not be a common issue, but checking the structural soundness of your solar panels can be ideal in the long run, because the last way you want to be warned about a particular installation issue is when the panel falls down. Remember that while these are tied to your roof, they’re extremities and will require stabilization if you live in heavy weather areas. This approach should also include checking seals and mounts.
Maintenance Callouts
Having annual inspections of your solar panel and making sure your warranty is up to date will ensure any issues are dealt with ahead of time. Solar panels may not seem like super advanced pieces of kit, but they can fail and need repairs from time to time, especially in extreme weather conditions. As such, making certain you have the resources for a check when necessary is always a good idea.
With this advice, you’re sure to implement better roofing maintenance tips even after recently installing those solar panels.
