Solar Panel Cleaning in Stilbaai
A holiday home's solar system works all year, even when nobody is there to look at it. Months of salt haze, dust and bird droppings bake onto the glass, and the first time anyone notices is when the house is full and the power runs short. We clean the panels with pure water before you arrive, so the system starts the season clean.
Panels that work while the house stands empty
In Stilbaai a lot of solar systems do their hardest work when nobody is home. If yours keeps the alarm, the cameras, a fridge or a pump running between visits, it has been out in every onshore breeze and every dewy night since you locked the door. Nobody hoses it down after a dusty week, and nobody sees the droppings when a pigeon starts using the top rail as a perch.
Salt is the main culprit this close to the sea. The breeze leaves a fine film on the glass, overnight dew dissolves it, and the morning sun dries it back on a little harder than before. Over a few months that becomes a dull, bonded haze that rain alone does not shift, especially on the low-pitched arrays common on single-storey holiday houses, where water runs off slowly and the dirt settles at the bottom edge of every panel.
Clean before the busy season, not after it
The weeks you are down are usually the weeks the system is under the most pressure: a full house, extra fridges, the pool pump, the kettle going all day and long evenings on the stoep. That is the worst time to find out the panels are delivering well below what they should.
The practical answer is to have the array cleaned before you arrive. Send us your address and when you'll be down, and we'll book it in ahead of time so the system starts the season clean. If the house is let over the holidays, that's one less thing for guests to complain about.
How we clean, and what we won't do
- Pure water only. Our water is purified through a reverse-osmosis filter, so it lifts the salt film and dries spot-free with no detergent left on the glass.
- Soft brush on a water-fed pole. We work from the ground or the roof edge wherever possible. Nobody walks on your panels, which is how cells get micro-cracks.
- No abrasive pads, no pressure washer. The anti-reflective coating on panel glass does not come back once it is scratched.
- A look underneath while we're up there. If we spot nesting material, chewed cabling, cracked glass or loose clips, we'll let you know.
We usually need an outside tap and a plug point. If the water or electricity at the house is switched off while you're away, tell us when you book and we'll plan around it.
How often in Stilbaai
For most homes within sight of the sea, once or twice a year is right: once before the December season and, if the system works hard all year, again around mid-year. Homes further back from the beach, or panels on a steep roof where rain rinses the glass properly, can often go a full year. If we think your panels don't need a clean yet, we'll say so.
Pricing
Solar panel cleaning starts from R650 for up to ten panels on a single-storey roof. More panels, a double storey or awkward access add to that. WhatsApp us a photo of the roof and the number of panels and we'll confirm a fixed price the same day. Doing the panels together with windows or gutters costs less than booking them separately. See our Arrival Ready packages.
Areas we cover
We work across Stilbaai on both sides of the Goukou River, in Stilbaai West and Stilbaai East, as well as Jongensfontein and Melkhoutfontein. Further along the coast or inland? Ask us. We can often fit it in.
Solar Panel Cleaning FAQs, Stilbaai
Do I need to be in Stilbaai when you clean the panels?
No. Most arrays can be reached from outside without going into the house. We need access to the property and an outside tap and plug point.
How will I know the clean made a difference?
Compare a few sunny days in your inverter app before and after the clean. On a heavily soiled array the difference usually shows straight away.
Will cleaning affect my panel warranty?
Not the way we do it. Pure water, a soft brush and nobody walking on the panels is in line with what panel manufacturers' cleaning guides recommend. Harsh chemicals, abrasive pads and pressure washers are what cause problems.
Can you check for birds under the panels?
Yes. We look under the edges of the array on every clean. If pigeons are nesting, we'll tell you and quote for clip-on bird proofing, which can often be done in the same visit.