Propserve Solar & Window Cleaning Division
Division 06 of 09
Cleaning of solar arrays and building glass with purified water. It recovers the yield you paid for and keeps façades presentable, without harming panels or seals.
Dirty panels quietly cost you generation.
A solar array is the one asset on a building that loses money silently. Salt haze off the sea, humidity, pollen, bird fouling and cane and construction dust build a film across the glass that reduces output, and because the loss is gradual most owners never notice it. They simply generate less than the system was designed to produce. Soiling losses of a few percent are ordinary; on neglected or shaded arrays they are considerably worse.
We clean arrays with deionised water and soft brushes on telescopic poles. No detergents, no abrasives, no high pressure. Those are what damage the antireflective coating, scour the glass and force water past the frame seals. Deionised water dries without leaving mineral spotting, so the panel stays clear rather than getting a fresh haze the moment it dries.
The same water fed pole system is what we use on building glass, which is why the two sit in one division. It reaches several storeys from the ground safely, and for anything beyond that we bring in rope access or elevated work platforms.
What we clean
- Residential solar arraysRoof mounted domestic PV cleaned from the ground where possible, with a visual condition check.
- Commercial & industrial arraysLarge rooftop and ground mount installations cleaned to a planned route and schedule.
- Building glass & façadesWindows, curtain walling, shopfronts, atriums and glass balustrades inside and out.
- High level glassMulti storey work by rope access or elevated work platform with the correct fall protection.
- Frames, sills & tracksAluminium frames, sills and sliding door tracks cleaned along with the glass, not around it.
- Post construction glassRemoval of cement splatter, plaster haze, silicone and protective film after a build or refit.
How a clean is done
- Access & risk assessmentWe establish how the array or glass is reached safely and what fall protection, permits or platform is needed.
- Cool glass schedulingPanels are cleaned early or late. Cold water on hot glass is a thermal shock risk we do not take.
- Purified water washSoft brush agitation with deionised water, rinsed and left to dry spot free without chemicals.
- Condition checkWhile we are up there we note cracked glass, delamination, loose clamps, lifting seals and bird nesting.
- Report & scheduleYou receive before and after photographs, anything we found, and a recommended next clean date.
Suited to
- Homes and estates with rooftop PV
- Commercial and industrial rooftop arrays
- Office parks, retail centres and showrooms
- Body corporates with common area glass
- Sites near construction, mining or agriculture
- Buildings needing post construction glass cleaning
Why not just a hose and soap
Tap water carries dissolved minerals; when it dries on glass it leaves the spotting that makes a panel look worse than before it was washed. Detergents leave a residue that attracts dust more quickly. High pressure washing can drive water past the panel's frame seal and voids many manufacturer warranties. Deionised water at low pressure with a soft brush is the method almost every panel manufacturer specifies. It is slower, and it is the one that does not cost you a warranty.
Common questions
How often should panels be cleaned?
Twice a year is the minimum on the KwaZulu-Natal coast, and quarterly is the honest recommendation. Salt haze, humidity and the algal film that goes with them build up faster here than inland, and sites near the sea, cane fields, construction or heavy bird traffic soil quickest of all.
Will cleaning actually pay for itself?
On a reasonably sized array, usually yes. The generation you recover from clearing a season's soiling typically exceeds the cost of the clean, which is why commercial sites treat it as planned maintenance rather than a cosmetic job.
Do you walk on the panels?
No. Standing on modules causes micro cracks in the cells that you cannot see and that permanently reduce output. We work from poles, walkways or an approved platform.
Can you clean glass on a multi storey building?
Yes. Water fed poles reach several storeys from the ground. Above that we use rope access or an elevated work platform, with the method statement and fall protection that the height requires.