Panel cleaning
Dust, pollen, and bird droppings on the glass reduce output. In dry months a rinse every few weeks keeps generation up; near a field or a busy road, more often.
Maintenance Guide
Looking After a Rooftop Solar System
Solar needs very little attention — but the little it needs, it really needs.
A system in good health quietly runs for 25 years. A neglected one keeps working, just worse, and the loss shows up on the bill. This guide covers what matters. For homes up to 10 kW that we install, we look after all of it for the first five years.
What actually needs attention
Six things, in rough order of how often they matter.
The inverter
It can trip on a grid disturbance and sit idle. It also needs airflow and a shaded, dry spot. Error codes on the display should never be ignored.
Cable connections
A DC connection that works loose runs hot. Caught early it is a quick fix; left alone it kills a string and is a fire risk.
Earthing and protection
Earthing and surge protection must be confirmed as working, not assumed. This is the check most casual cleaners skip.
The mounting structure
Clamps and bolts can loosen, and steel can corrode near the coast. Water should never pool under the panels.
The monitoring
A daily glance at the app is the cheapest maintenance there is. A sudden drop, or one string reading low, is the earliest warning you get.
A simple maintenance rhythm
Every week or two
Glance at the monitoring app. Is today's generation roughly what you would expect for the weather?
Every few weeks in the dry season
Rinse the panels with plain water early in the morning or after sunset, when the glass is cool.
Once or twice a year
A full check by a technician — electrical connections, earthing, inverter, structure, and a proper performance review.
Signs something is wrong
- Your electricity bill starts creeping back up
- A red or amber light, or an error code, on the inverter
- Panels visibly dirty, streaked, or shaded by a new obstruction
- The app shows a sharp drop, or one string much lower than the rest
- The inverter is hot to stand near, or unusually noisy
If you see any of these, call your installer rather than wait for the next bill.
What you can do, and what needs a technician
Safe to do yourself
- Check the monitoring app
- Rinse ground-level or easily reached panels with plain water
- Keep the area around the inverter clear and ventilated
- Note down any error codes to report
Leave to a professional
- —Anything that means going onto a sloped or high roof
- —Opening the inverter, ACDB, or any DC connection
- —Earthing and surge-protection testing
- —Diagnosing a string or panel fault
- —Tightening or replacing electrical connections
How Paso Solar keeps watch
We monitor your generation remotely and visit on a schedule to clean and check. Faults are diagnosed and, for covered systems, fixed as part of the service.
Homes up to 10 kW
5 years of comprehensive maintenance, included with installation.
Larger and older systems
A fixed-cost annual plan with a visit schedule to match the site.
Other installers' systems
We take them on after a one-time inspection.
Go deeper
Detailed articles on cleaning, monitoring, diagnostics, and safety checks.
- Rooftop Solar Maintenance: What Actually Needs DoingA practical maintenance schedule for rooftop solar, separating what an owner can safely do from what needs a qualified technician.2 min read
- Common Solar Problems and What They MeanThe faults that actually occur on rooftop systems, what each one usually indicates, and which ones an owner can safely address.3 min read
- Why Solar Generation Drops: A Diagnostic GuideHow to work out why a rooftop system is generating less than expected, from the causes an owner can resolve to the faults that need a technician.3 min read
- Solar Monitoring: What to Watch and WhyWhat a solar monitoring system actually tells you, which numbers matter, and how to use them to catch problems before they cost you generation.2 min read
- Solar Panel Cleaning: How Often and HowHow frequently rooftop panels need cleaning in Karnataka conditions, the correct method, and the common cleaning mistakes that damage modules or people.3 min read
- Solar Safety Checks Every Owner Should KnowThe safety elements of a rooftop solar installation, what can be checked visually, and what must be tested by a qualified technician.2 min read
Not sure your system is performing?
Tell us your system size, location, and who installed it. We will review it, and either confirm your free cover or propose a plan.