If you are one of the many people who take advantage of the Southern California sun with a solar energy system for your home, it’s time to think about seasonal maintenance. Keeping your solar energy system clean and well tuned will help keep your energy costs low and your comfort levels high.
To help keep your solar energy system running efficiently, have a professional perform the following inspection and maintenance tasks on a regular basis:
- Shading – When plants and trees grow around the collector units, they can block the sun and reduce efficiency of the system. Check for shading at various times during the day and trim and vegetation as necessary.
- Cleaning – When dirt and dust build up on the collector it can have an effect on energy efficiency. When the weather is particularly dry you may need to clean the collectors more frequently.
- Collector components – As your system ages, the seals and glazing on the collector units may become cracked or yellow. When this happens you may need replacement parts and repairs.
- Leaks – Check the piping and ductwork for any leaks and add insulation if it is becoming worn or damaged.
- Connections – Check and tighten all the nuts and bolts in the support structure, ensure that the roof connections are secure and tighten any loose electrical connections.
- Fluids – If your solar system has heat transfer fluids, the pipes need to be periodically flushed and cleaned. This task should only be done by a professional technician.
- Moving parts – All pumps and blowers should be checked for wear and tear, loose belts and proper lubrication.
Although some of these tasks can and should be performed by you on a regular basis, many of them require a professional. Get the most from your solar installation by keeping the system well-maintained and operating efficiently.
No matter how you power your heating and cooling equipment, professional installation and maintenance is important. Call the professionals at Around the Clock Air Conditioning & Heating the next time you need a seasonal tune-up for your heating and cooling systems.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about solar systems and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Around the Clock Air Conditioning & Heating services Los Angeles, North Hollywood and the surrounding areas in California. Visit our website to see our current specials and get started today!
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