Solar panels need little upkeep. Rinse them with clean water when dust or bird droppings build up. Check the monitoring app each week, and have the system inspected once a year. Call a technician if production drops suddenly or the inverter shows an error.
Solar Panels Need Little Care, but Not None
A solar system has no moving parts. Rain washes off most of the dust. A few simple habits keep it producing well for years.
1. Clean the Panels When They Are Dirty
Dirt blocks light. Dust, bird droppings, leaves and pollen all lower output. Rain clears much of it, but not all.
How often depends on where you live. A home next to a construction site, a busy road or open fields collects dust faster. In a long dry spell there is no rain to help.
How to clean
- Rinse with clean water from a garden hose
- Use a soft brush or sponge for marks that stay
- Clean early in the morning or in the evening, when the panels are cool
- Stay on the ground if you can reach from there
What not to do
- Do not use a pressure washer
- Do not use abrasive pads or strong chemicals
- Do not spray cold water on hot panels at midday
- Do not climb on the roof without proper safety equipment
Near the sea, salt settles on the glass. A rinse with fresh water now and then keeps it from building up.
2. Check the Monitoring App
The inverter reports to a monitoring app. A minute a week is enough.
- Daily production. Compare a sunny day with earlier sunny days.
- Alerts. Read any error message the day it appears.
- Monthly totals. Expect less in the wetter months and more in the dry ones.
A slow fall over a few weeks usually means dirt. A sudden fall usually means a fault. Lost output also lengthens your payback period.
3. Have the System Inspected Once a Year
Some things cannot be seen from the ground. A yearly inspection covers:
- Electrical connections
- The mounting rails and brackets
- The cables and their insulation
- The inverter and its readings
- The panels, for cracks or damage
- The roof around the mounting points, for leaks
Our Family Plus package includes a maintenance check every year, and Premium Max includes two. For other systems, maintenance visits start from RM300.
4. Look After the Inverter
The inverter is the part most likely to need attention. Keep it shaded and ventilated, and keep the area around it clear. Our guide on how solar panels work explains what it does.
Its warranty is 5 to 10 years, depending on the model. The panels carry a performance warranty of up to 25 years. Keep both warranty papers with your commissioning documents.
When to Call a Technician
Call us at once if you notice any of these:
- No production on a sunny day
- A burning smell near the inverter
- Visible damage to a panel
- Water leaking around a mounting point
- Unusual noise from the inverter
- An error that does not clear
Do not open the inverter or touch the cables yourself. A solar system carries high-voltage DC whenever there is light.
After a Storm or a Flood
After strong wind, look at the panels from the ground for anything loose. After a flood, do not switch the system back on until a technician has checked the inverter.
A Simple Routine
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Every week | Look at the app |
| When dirty | Rinse the panels |
| Every year | Book an inspection |
| After a storm | Check from the ground |
Book a Maintenance Visit
WhatsApp SolarKita to book a cleaning or an inspection.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should solar panels be cleaned in Malaysia?
When you can see dirt on them. Rain clears most dust, so many homes need only an occasional rinse. Homes near construction sites, busy roads, fields or the sea need it more often.
Can I clean solar panels myself?
Yes, from the ground with a hose and a soft brush, when the panels are cool. Do not use a pressure washer or strong chemicals, and do not climb on the roof without safety equipment.
Do solar panels need servicing?
A yearly inspection is enough for most homes. It checks the connections, the mounting, the cables, the inverter and the panels.
Why has my solar production dropped?
A slow fall over weeks usually means dirty panels. A sudden fall usually means a fault, such as an inverter error. Check the monitoring app and call a technician if it does not clear.
How much does solar panel maintenance cost?
SolarKita maintenance visits start from RM300. The Family Plus and Premium Max packages include yearly maintenance checks.
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