Solar panel cleaning: DIY vs professional service
Dust, pollen and bird droppings build up on panels the same way they build up on a car windscreen — slowly, and easy to underestimate until you see the generation numbers.
What soiling actually costs you
Left unaddressed for a year, soiling can reduce output by 10–15% in dusty urban settings — enough to be visible on your monitoring app, but rarely enough to notice just by looking at the roof.
What's safe to do yourself
A gentle rinse with plain water on a cool morning or evening (never with the panels hot, and never with detergent or a pressure washer) is safe if your roof access is easy and low-risk.
When to call a professional
Steep roofs, height, or a system still under workmanship warranty are all reasons to use a scheduled service instead — Atria's quarterly preventive maintenance visits are included at no extra cost for the first five years.
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