Solar panels are a long-term investment in your household's energy savings and a commitment to powering your home with clean, sustainable energy.
That's why your solar setup must have longevity and last for many years so that it pays for itself over time while boosting your resilience and self-sufficiency.
Fortunately, solar experts are sharing insider tips for how to make your solar panels last for decades with next-to-no maintenance.
As EnergySage reported, underperforming solar panels often result from an inverter issue, rather than a need for full replacement. EnergySage offers objective, independent expertise in the rooftop solar industry and has a free quote comparison tool to help homeowners save thousands on the installation costs.
"Notice your solar panels are underperforming? It's likely an inverter issue," EnergySage's Casey McDevitt wrote.
Inverters are the components that convert the DC electricity generated by solar panels into the AC electricity your home needs for power.
It is extremely rare for solar panels themselves to fail. However, inverter problems can lead to production declines. Inverters fail because of improper installation, electrical surges, and overheating.
However, as McDevitt pointed out, there are distinct differences between the two primary types of solar inverters.
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String inverters are more affordable and come with easy maintenance. However, they are less efficient than microinverters. Although you can monitor and optimize each panel better with a microinverter, they are more challenging to maintain and repair.
"Most maintenance we do involves replacing or repairing microinverters," Duane Wright, president of Fused Solar and Roofing, shared, per EnergySage. "If you have 25 microinverters on a 25-panel system, there are 25 fault points, and they're underneath the panels on the roof. With string inverters, there's only one fault point, and it's at ground level."
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The cost 💰 This insight is useful because it helps homeowners know what to expect when something goes wrong with their solar setup. It also highlights the importance of carefully reading your solar manufacturer's warranty to understand whether both parts and labor are covered for repairs.
An increasing number of homeowners are making the switch to solar and discovering the impressive savings and efficiency for themselves. Yet, learning about solar panel maintenance can help you maximize the benefits of your investment and ensure your panels operate efficiently to generate clean energy.
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To save even more where you live, check out EnergySage's mapping tool with details about solar incentives by state. Homeowners can work with EnergySage to save up to $10,000 for solar purchases and installations.
"Very seldom have I seen a solar panel go bad once it's installed," Wright said. "As long as it rains enough to remove bird droppings, dust, and pollen, that's pretty much all the maintenance needed."
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