What network specialists do
- Soft-bristle brush, nylon or microfiber, never metal or rigid plastic
- Softened water, DI (deionized) water or reverse-osmosis, no mineral residue when it dries
- Telescoping carbon-fiber pole, keeps the specialist off the roof when possible
- Hand-cleaning only for difficult areas, pollen film, baked dust, ash deposits
- No pressure washing, ever, even at low PSI; manufacturer warranties prohibit it
- No detergents, the softened water alone cleans; soaps leave residue that attracts more dust
- Before/after monitoring screenshot, from the homeowner's Enphase / SolarEdge / SMA app, included in the post-visit report
Why pressure washing voids the warranty
Solar panels are sealed against the elements with EVA encapsulant and a layer of glass on top. Pressure washing, even at residential 1500 to 2000 PSI, can force water past the edge seals, around the junction box gasket, and into the cells. Once moisture is inside the panel, it causes delamination, hot-spotting, and eventual cell failure. Every major manufacturer (LG, SunPower, REC, Panasonic, etc.) explicitly excludes pressure-wash damage from their warranties.
Network specialists won't use pressure washing because doing so voids your warranty, and they're paid by the directory to do this right. Cheap operators who pressure-wash are how homeowners lose $4,000+ panel warranties for a $99 quick-clean.
Recovery, documented: every clean includes screenshots of your monitoring data (Enphase, SolarEdge, SMA, etc.) showing pre-clean vs post-clean kWh, weather-normalized over the first sunny week. Soft-brush + softened-water typically restores 6 to 12% of production on a panel that hasn't been cleaned in 6+ months, but the actual number depends on what landed on your panels and how long it sat. We measure, we don't guess.
What's in the post-visit report
- Before/after monitoring screenshots showing kWh/day
- Notes on any maintenance items observed (loose connectors, mounting wear, etc.)
- Recommendation for next clean date (typically 12 weeks out)
- Bird-buildup observations
Pricing details
- 10 to 14 panels (~4 to 6 kW): $189
- 15 to 22 panels (~6 to 9 kW): $229
- 23 to 32 panels (~9 to 13 kW): $259
- 33+ panels: $289+ (custom-quoted per network specialist)
- Difficult-access (2nd story, pitched roof), typically +$40
- Post-fire emergency surcharge: +$60 (still cheaper than other operators' post-fire pricing)