Solar panel cleaning in Teesside

Dirty panels generate less, measurably

Rain does not clean solar panels any more than it cleans a car windscreen: it moves dust into a film. Across Teesside, the enemies are traffic film along the A19 and A66 corridors, salt haze in Redcar and Hartlepool, lichen spotting on north-west facing arrays, and seagull mess anywhere near the coast. Industry testing puts the loss at 15 to 25 percent on neglected arrays: on a typical 4kW system that is real money against a £60 to £120 clean.

Pure water only, and why it matters

Panel manufacturers are blunt: no detergent, no abrasives, no pressure washers. Detergent residue attracts grime faster and can void warranties; abrasives micro-scratch the glass and reduce output permanently. The correct method is exactly what a proper window cleaning setup already is: deionised pure water, soft brushes, panels cleaned from the ground or a tower. Anyone proposing anything else should not be on your roof.

How often on Teesside

Every one to two years suits most arrays; annual if you are coastal, near a main road, or under gull flight paths, which on Teesside covers a lot of postcodes. Spring is the smart slot: winter grime off before the high-generation months. While the equipment is out, most cleaners will do the conservatory roof or windows in the same visit, which usually brings the combined price down.