Solar Panel Cleaning in Elk Grove, CA

A Closer Look at Our Solar Panel Cleaning Work

We worked across this rooftop array to remove the buildup from the panel surfaces. Our in-progress photo shows the panels during cleaning, and the wider view shows the array afterward. We paid attention to the individual panel faces and edges so the finished photos show the condition of the array as a whole.

Elk Grove typically experiences warm, dry summer weather, with most rainfall occurring from November through April. That can leave solar panels exposed to long stretches of dust, pollen, bird droppings, and airborne debris between meaningful rains.

The type of buildup can also vary considerably across Elk Grove.

A home in a developed neighborhood such as East Franklin, Poppy Ridge, or Laguna Ridge may be affected by nearby landscaping, road dust, pollen, and activity around surrounding properties. Homes toward rural east Elk Grove sit closer to open land, agriculture, livestock, oak trees, and eucalyptus, which can create a different combination of windblown dust and organic debris.

Properties near trees, waterways, open space, or regular bird activity may also experience:

• Concentrated bird droppings
• Pollen film
• Leaves around panel edges
• Feathers and organic debris
• Uneven buildup across different roof sections
  
  

Rain may remove some loose dust, but it does not always remove adhered pollen, stubborn droppings, or residue that has settled onto the solar glass. NREL has also noted that California’s Central Valley can experience a combination of relatively high soiling and limited rainfall that makes planned cleaning worthwhile for some systems.