Cleaning done the way module glass requires.
Deionized water, soft brushes, no detergents, and no pressure washing. The goal is clean glass and an intact anti-reflective coating — plus a documented look at what the array is doing while we are up there.
What happens on a cleaning visit.
- Roof and array condition assessed before any water is introduced
- Deionized water fed through soft-bristle brushes — no spot-leaving minerals
- No detergents, solvents, abrasive pads, or pressure washing on module glass
- Frames and drainage paths cleared of debris and leaf litter
- Under-array space checked for nesting activity and droppings
- Visible cracks, delamination, hot-spot discoloration, or loose hardware photographed
- Before and after condition photos included with the visit record
If the visit turns up something beyond soiling — a damaged module, an open junction box, corrosion at a disconnect — it goes in the record with photos, and you get a straight recommendation. Cleaning invoices stay cleaning invoices.
How often is reasonable?
It depends far more on where the roof is than on the size of the system. As a starting point for Orange County:
- Coastal and salt-exposed roofs: twice a year
- Inland, dusty, or near open ground: twice a year, weighted after Santa Ana season
- Under or near trees: two to three times a year, driven by leaf drop and pollen
- Sheltered suburban roofs with low exposure: once a year is often enough
Members on a recurring schedule are booked automatically at their interval — see memberships.
Cleaning questions.
Can I just hose the panels off myself?
Hose water leaves mineral spotting as it dries, tap-water minerals build a film of their own, and the bigger risk is the roof itself — walking an array without knowing where the rails and penetrations are is how modules and roofing get damaged. There is also the part where a wet array is still an energized DC system.
Will cleaning fix my production drop?
Sometimes, when soiling is genuinely heavy. When it does not, the cleaning visit has still given us photos and observations to work from, and the next step is the 100-point inspection rather than a second cleaning.
Do you clean commercial or ground-mount arrays?
Yes. Ground mounts, carports, and small commercial roofs are quoted by array size and access rather than by residential flat rate.
What about the bird mess under the array?
Cleared as part of the visit, and it is usually the moment to talk about bird and critter guard — because once a spot has been used, it gets reused.
Ready for a cleaning?
Tell us the city, the roof type, and roughly how many modules — that is enough to schedule.