Surface cleaning services

[MuskIsADooshBag]

Hi.

I've seen a flyer around my neighborhood that charges $6 for cleaning per panel. It's probably a window cleaning company expanding their customer base. Mine are 4x6. What is the consensus about the benefits of a proper cleaning? Worth it or ripoff?
Thanks.

[peakbagger]

Unless you are in dry dusty area, its typically not needed. Rain and snow works quite well to clean off panels. I must admit my 20 year old panels do have some staining in the aluminum frames, I doubt there is a performance impact but I suppose someone standng up close might decide they need cleaning.

[J.P.M.]

Hi.

I've seen a flyer around my neighborhood that charges $6 for cleaning per panel. It's probably a window cleaning company expanding their customer base. Mine are 4x6. What is the consensus about the benefits of a proper cleaning? Worth it or ripoff?
Thanks.

Big owl skrocks, or flying elephants or cows notwithstanding, don't waste your money. It's a B.S ripoff.

If you have rain more than about 1X/month the panels will stay about as clean as you'll need. or, hit them with about 4l or 1 gal. per panel of tap water from a hose. once/month or so. Don't fall for the hard water spots so you need super duper cleaning crap.

Besides, regardless of the cleaning method used, the array will be about as fouled as before it was cleaned in about 4 - 6 weeks anyway.

Maybe 1X/year or so with soap and a soft brush to clear off all the baked on guano off.

Also, if you have a concrete or clay tile roof, anyone who gets on it will break tiles unless they are VERY careful.

[MuskIsADooshBag]

Unless you are in dry dusty area, its typically not needed. Rain and snow works quite well to clean off panels. I must admit my 20 year old panels do have some staining in the aluminum frames, I doubt there is a performance impact but I suppose someone standng up close might decide they need cleaning.

Yeah, so I'm in South Central TX, and there was a crap load of dust in the air over the summer and plenty of pollen too. We just had 2 days of moderate rainfall. (Not any heavy downpours). I'm thinking that the rain may have taken care of the surface dust for now.