There are many benefits of owning solar panels, from enjoying a renewable source of energy that saves you money to knowing that you are doing your part to help protect the environment, giving plenty of incentive for homeowners to invest in them.
However, while solar panels offer many benefits there are certain risks that they may present to your health. Therefore, it’s important to understand what these are to avoid them, allowing you to get the full benefits without any drawbacks.
Thankfully, most of these health risks are easily avoided once you know how to identify them and what action each one requires. Let’s take a closer look at 2 ways your solar panels may be bad for your health and what to do about them:
The Problem – Animal Waste
Perhaps the biggest drawback of owning solar panels is the fact they attract certain types of wildlife. Pigeons are the main culprits, with large solar panels offering the perfect nesting conditions for these birds, leading many to set up their home right underneath the panels.
When birds nest under solar panels they leave a lot of waste around the property, which accumulates over time to the point where it becomes a major health hazard. The droppings contain lots of bacteria and if you come in contact with it, it can lead to all kinds of health problems like psittacosis and salmonella.
It’s not just birds either, as different animals may use the underside of solar panels to safely move from place to place, with the panels offering protection from predators and the elements. These animals, often rodents, can also leave a lot of waste behind!
The Solution – Professional Cleaning and Prevention
There are two main methods for dealing with animal waste around your solar panels – cleaning and prevention.
Cleaning should be done by a professional Canadian company https://hotcanadianpharmacy.com/, as climbing a roof to clean the panels yourself is very dangerous, while you might damage the panels by using the wrong equipment and cleaning solutions.
After this, you should consider animal-proofing the solar panels. There are a few options for this, with the best being bird barriers that block access under the panels, preventing anything from nesting there. Again, professional installation is recommended to ensure it’s done safely and properly.
The Problem – Shock or Electrocution
Like with any electrical system, there are inherent risks from electrical currents running through the solar panels and the wiring.
Corroded cables, dodgy wiring, and incorrect grounding can cause systems to short circuit, leading to accidental shock or electrocution when you touch them. These issues can arise in various parts of the system, such as the combiner box or panels themselves, posing a serious health risk for obvious reasons.
The Solution – Proper Handling and Professional Repair
Unfortunately, it can be hard to spot these safety risks until it’s too late, so you need to ensure you always properly handle the system. In fact, it’s best to avoid touching any component unless necessary, in which case you need to make sure you wear insulating gloves.
Also, never walk on the panels or place any objects on them, while you should never attempt to cut any of the wiring. If you find any problems with the system, never attempt to complete repairs yourself, leaving it to a professional repair company that use qualified technicians.
Premier Solar Cleaning, LLC is a veteran owned and operated solar panel cleaning company. We provide Commercial Solar Cleaning, Efficiency Checks, and Repair Consultations; as well as Residential Solar Cleaning. Serving all of Southern California with phenomenal solar cleaning that saves you money, we have rapidly become an authority on solar panel cleaning, maintenance, and efficiency. To protect your investment, we use high-quality products that are specifically designed for safely cleaning solar panels. No corrosive chemicals, only the purest reverse osmosis deionized water. We offer one-time cleaning and monthly maintenance programs are available. Call us today at (951) 465-3117.