In honor of Solar Appreciation Day, the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) published a report celebrating the widespread availability and efficiency of solar energy. According to the report, only 0.4% of the nation’s total land area would be needed to supply all of the country’s electricity using solar photovoltaics (PV).

These are powerful words reiterating the importance of taking full advantage of solar power and solar panels in the United States. To make sure you are ready to make the most of solar panels in the coming months, check off the following summer maintenance list.

Visually Inspect Solar Panels

If you are able, visually inspect your solar panels for signs of wear and tear. Look out for dirt, debris, and any physical damage to your solar panels. If you are unable to access or get a good look at a solar panel or several solar panels, you can hire professionals to come out and inspect your hardware for you.

If your solar panels have accumulated a lot of dirt over the past few months, you have several options to clean them. Install automatic cleaners that will periodically rinse off solar panels, hire professionals to tackle the job, or purchase special solar panel cleaning kits to do it on your own. Never use abrasive chemicals or cleaning supplies.

Take Another Look at the Immediate Environment

During the fall, winter, and spring months, it is entirely possible that any trees, shrubs, bushes, and leaves have changed or grown back in thicker and more widespread than in the past. Trim any trees that may obstruct your solar panels. Prune shrubs, bushes, and any heavy greenery.

Monitor Your Stats

Determine just how effectively your solar panels are doing their job by monitoring their stats. If you notice any significant changes, do what you can to find the root of the problem and address it now — before your peak months of solar energy collection.

Solar power is a fast-growing industry. In 2017, worldwide solar power use climbed by 29.3%. Countries all over the world installed solar systems with the potential to provide 98.9 gigawatts of new solar energy. To put that into perspective, just one gigawatt has the capacity to provide enough electricity for a medium-sized city.

Be a part of the solution. Install solar panels on or near your home, and use the maintenance checklist above to ensure they are fit to do their job this summer. For more information on how to get your solar panels ready for the summer season, contact Suntegrity Solar today.