Dirty panels are lazy panels. Dust, bird muck, moss, lichen and the grime that builds along the bottom edge of every module all block light before it reaches the cell — and across a large commercial array, that lost output adds up over a year. We clean commercial and industrial solar PV systems across the West Midlands using pure water and the right access equipment — and we work on roofs for a living, so getting up there safely isn’t an afterthought.
Commercial and industrial only. We don’t clean domestic panels. Our kit, our access equipment and our insurance are geared to factory, warehouse, agricultural, school and office-block arrays.
What we handle
- Rooftop arrays — warehouse, factory, distribution and agricultural roofs, including large-span metal and flat systems.
- Ground-mount and solar farms — row after row on a planned programme, with pole or vehicle-fed systems where access allows.
- Car port and canopy arrays — cleaned around your parking and site traffic, out of hours if that suits better.
- Moss, lichen and edge grime — the stubborn build-up along frames and lower edges that shades whole strings of cells.
- Bird proofing and mesh — stop pigeons nesting under the modules so the mess doesn’t come straight back.
- Post-clean roof check — while we’re up there we look over fixings, clamps, cable trays, flashings and the roof itself, and photograph anything that needs attention.
Pure water, no chemicals
We clean with deionised (pure) water fed through telescopic soft-brush poles. Stripped of its minerals, it lifts dirt and then dries without streaking or leaving a residue for the next lot of dust to stick to. No detergents, nothing running into your surface water drainage, and nothing a panel manufacturer will take issue with. Pressure washing, abrasive pads and harsh chemicals damage the anti-reflective coating and the seals around the frame — they’re a quick way to turn a cleaning job into a replacement bill, so we don’t use them.
Warranty and compliance
Most panel manufacturers and O&M agreements expect the array to be cleaned regularly, and plenty of them specify how it should be done. Cleaned the wrong way, or left long enough to etch, and a performance claim can be turned down. We work to manufacturer guidance and leave you with a record of the visit — date, method and before-and-after photos — for your O&M file or insurer.
Access and safety
On a commercial site the access is most of the job. Every visit gets a site-specific method statement and risk assessment, IPAF-trained operatives, and the right equipment for the building — MEWP, tower, mobile scaffold or rope access. Fragile roof sheets and rooflights get treated as fragile, with proper edge protection and crawl boards where they’re needed. We’re SMAS accredited and fully insured, and we’ll fit the work around your shifts, including early mornings and weekends, so production keeps moving.
How often should it be done?
For most commercial roofs in the Midlands twice a year covers it — once in spring after the winter grime and pollen, once in autumn when the leaves and bird traffic have had their go. Sites near main roads, quarries, farms, food production or anything dusty usually want three or four visits. We’ll tell you straight what yours needs once we’ve seen it, rather than selling you a schedule you don’t need.
Planned maintenance
Cleaning sits neatly alongside the rest of what we do. If we’re already looking after your roof on a planned maintenance programme, we can build the panel cleans into the same visits, keep the gutters clear at the same time, and you get one contractor, one set of paperwork and one number to ring.
Got an array that hasn’t been touched since it was commissioned? Send us the site address and the system size and we’ll price a one-off clean or an ongoing programme.
