Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Scottish Cleaning Service on March 12, 2025, 09:02:16 am
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This is the time of year I get all my solar panel customers asking me to clean their panels. I am now contacting them and asking if they want their panels cleaned. Not had one refuse and they all seem happy campers when they notice the jump in what they are producing.
Don't be scared to remind how important it is to clean the panels and the solar farms get them cleaned every 3 months so it shows how important it is to them producing more money in the long run.
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This is the time of year I get all my solar panel customers asking me to clean their panels. I am now contacting them and asking if they want their panels cleaned. Not had one refuse and they all seem happy campers when they notice the jump in what they are producing.
Don't be scared to remind how important it is to clean the panels and the solar farms get them cleaned every 3 months so it shows how important it is to them producing more money in the long run.
A bit of a contradiction in the first two sentences! Are the customers asking you or are you contacting them?
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How much do you charge per panel?
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Where's the moustached one these days?
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Well will take him 15 mins so not £5 I reckon
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Read an interesting article the other week. Wish I could remember where but I've reached that age.
Chap was pointing out that the reason you need your solar panels cleaned every year isn't for the immediate gain in output, which is fairly minor on rooftop panels. Instead, it's to prevent dirt being left on them that would encourage the formation of lichen that, in the long term, can severely reduce the output of panels and which, as we all know, is pretty resistant to cleaning.
Clean now in order to prevent not being able to clean in the future.
Interesting point, imo.
Vin
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This is the time of year I get all my solar panel customers asking me to clean their panels. I am now contacting them and asking if they want their panels cleaned. Not had one refuse and they all seem happy campers when they notice the jump in what they are producing.
Don't be scared to remind how important it is to clean the panels and the solar farms get them cleaned every 3 months so it shows how important it is to them producing more money in the long run.
A bit of a contradiction in the first two sentences! Are the customers asking you or are you contacting them?
A few years ago I got asked to clean my customer's solar panels as they hadn't been cleaned. They were so impressed because when they got sold the dream they were told the panels are self-cleaning. Now they realise they are not self-cleaning with all the bird poo on them. If they have not asked I remind them on my payment card that I post after a window clean. Got 5,000 new A6 payment cards made up and the front of card is mostly white. I write on this bit the price of the solar clean if they are interested. They usually contact me to do it next clean and then I usually clean them every year.
I use my 25 foot pole with plastic brush, have stuck rubber tape on the pole I hold and wear rubber gloves. If the customer is in I tell them to turn off the solar panels which helps. Nice earner, and once you do it then it becomes regular work each year. Got to tell them the solar farms get cleaned every 3 months because it produces more electricity thus more dough. 😉
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How much do you charge per panel?
Just depends. Cleaned 16 panels, 10 on one side and 6 on other side of roof for £80. Then crossed the road and cleaned 10 on one side of roof for £50. Not my window cleaning customers just old customers I got through Checkatrade many years ago but the location is 8 miles away. Good drive on motorway for van's DPF and I spend sometime talking to the customers as I only see them once a year.
I usually charge between £50 and a ton and give my customers a discount like 16 panels for £60. But remember I'm cleaning them every year so not really that bad compared to windows and they are on the roof. I see it as a win win job and once they see how much more they are generating they like what they see and want it every year.
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Read an interesting article the other week. Wish I could remember where but I've reached that age.
Chap was pointing out that the reason you need your solar panels cleaned every year isn't for the immediate gain in output, which is fairly minor on rooftop panels. Instead, it's to prevent dirt being left on them that would encourage the formation of lichen that, in the long term, can severely reduce the output of panels and which, as we all know, is pretty resistant to cleaning.
Clean now in order to prevent not being able to clean in the future.
Interesting point, imo.
Vin
That's interesting Vin. I asked several customers if their solar panel output had changed before and after I had cleaned them and they said no.
One stated that the cost of the clean wasn't justified as the output after the clean was the same as before (same day, same sunshine.)
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Read an interesting article the other week. Wish I could remember where but I've reached that age.
Chap was pointing out that the reason you need your solar panels cleaned every year isn't for the immediate gain in output, which is fairly minor on rooftop panels. Instead, it's to prevent dirt being left on them that would encourage the formation of lichen that, in the long term, can severely reduce the output of panels and which, as we all know, is pretty resistant to cleaning.
Clean now in order to prevent not being able to clean in the future.
Interesting point, imo.
Vin
That's interesting Vin. I asked several customers if their solar panel output had changed before and after I had cleaned them and they said no.
One stated that the cost of the clean wasn't justified as the output after the clean was the same as before (same day, same sunshine.)
That's what I thought but it is common sense to get them cleaned purely because of the dust on them. I guess if it made no difference then the solar farms would drop the clean but they don't and its 4 times a year. They must know something we don't or its to do with warranty. 🤔
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It’s about scale - lose 5% from 16 panels and you would be hard pressed to notice the difference
5% from 100000 panels is worth the effort
If lichen covered then customers have said there is a big difference- but of course these are not a simple wash over
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It’s about scale - lose 5% from 16 panels and you would be hard pressed to notice the difference
5% from 100000 panels is worth the effort
If lichen covered then customers have said there is a big difference- but of course these are not a simple wash over
Nope that’s pressure washer time and scaffold tower.
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That's interesting Vin. I asked several customers if their solar panel output had changed before and after I had cleaned them and they said no.
One stated that the cost of the clean wasn't justified as the output after the clean was the same as before (same day, same sunshine.)
That figures. I'm not terribly surprised that there's little difference. But the conversation is different if you can point out that the clean isn't to save cash today - it's to save in the future.
I'll try and find where I saw it. We've avoided doing panels in the past because there was little difference but this could be something we should be telling customers.
Vin
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That's interesting Vin. I asked several customers if their solar panel output had changed before and after I had cleaned them and they said no.
One stated that the cost of the clean wasn't justified as the output after the clean was the same as before (same day, same sunshine.)
That figures. I'm not terribly surprised that there's little difference. But the conversation is different if you can point out that the clean isn't to save cash today - it's to save in the future.
I'll try and find where I saw it. We've avoided doing panels in the past because there was little difference but this could be something we should be telling customers.
Vin
The more you help your customers the more work they throw your way, I have found out.
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That's interesting Vin. I asked several customers if their solar panel output had changed before and after I had cleaned them and they said no.
One stated that the cost of the clean wasn't justified as the output after the clean was the same as before (same day, same sunshine.)
That figures. I'm not terribly surprised that there's little difference. But the conversation is different if you can point out that the clean isn't to save cash today - it's to save in the future.
I'll try and find where I saw it. We've avoided doing panels in the past because there was little difference but this could be something we should be telling customers.
Vin
The more you help your customers the more work they throw your way, I have found out.
Not everyone wants to fix washing machines or trim roof tiles though 😉
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That's interesting Vin. I asked several customers if their solar panel output had changed before and after I had cleaned them and they said no.
One stated that the cost of the clean wasn't justified as the output after the clean was the same as before (same day, same sunshine.)
That figures. I'm not terribly surprised that there's little difference. But the conversation is different if you can point out that the clean isn't to save cash today - it's to save in the future.
I'll try and find where I saw it. We've avoided doing panels in the past because there was little difference but this could be something we should be telling customers.
Vin
The more you help your customers the more work they throw your way, I have found out.
Not everyone wants to fix washing machines or trim roof tiles though 😉
Makes sense because you end up working 7 days a week. You clean solar panels and then a neighbour comes over and asks you to clean theirs. Working brings more work. I can't even advertise now and reject hard work. Don't mind taking easy work though. One seems to lose interest in money I have found after 6 years in this game. I go out and aim for £200 to £300, once hit I'm finished for the day. 😉