Solar panels are a long‑term investment in your home. However, to get the most out of them, and also get the best return for your money, it’s important to keep them working as best they can, all year round.

This guide explains simple, safe maintenance steps you can take at home – and when it makes the most sense to call in a local heating and solar panel engineer like the experts at Village Heating.

Table of contents

• What does solar panel efficiency mean?
• How solar panel maintenance helps performance
• Seasonal solar panel maintenance checklist
• Safe cleaning tips for solar panels in Sussex
• How to monitor your solar panels
• When to call a professional solar panel company
• How Village Heating can help

What does solar panel efficiency mean?

Solar panel efficiency is essentially a measurement of how well your panels are working. It measures how effectively your panels turn sunlight into usable electricity.

In practice, it’s about how much of the sun that hits your roof ends up helping to power your home.

Even high‑quality solar panels in Sussex homes will not perform properly if they are dirty, inundated with shade, or affected by loose wiring or inverter issues. Good solar panel maintenance keeps the whole system – panels, wiring, inverters and mounting – working together as intended.

How solar panel maintenance helps performance

Contrary to popular belief, once you fit solar PV systems, that’s not the end of it. Sussex is prone to periods of heavy, elongated rainfall, which can wash off much of the accumulated dirt on roofs. However, it doesn’t remove the sticky grime, moss, salt deposits or bird droppings that properties near the South coast are used to.

A simple solar panel maintenance routine can

• Help your panels generate more electricity, especially in spring and summer.
• Reduce the risk of faults going unnoticed until your bills increase.
• Extend the lifespan of panels, inverters, and mounting hardware.

Regular checks also give you peace of mind that your system is safe and structurally sound, which is especially important if panels are mounted on high roofs and, by extension, exposed to turbulent, fierce winds at altitude.

Seasonal solar panel maintenance checklist

Below is a practical, year‑round approach for Sussex homes. Complete these light and manageable tasks and you’ll see the full power of your solar panels for longer.

Spring 

Spring is the ideal time to give your solar panels a bit of attention after winter.

• Do a preliminary ground‑level visual inspection. Look for obvious dirt, bird droppings, or shading from trees and branches that have grown since last year.
• Check your monitoring app or inverter display. Is it in line with what you would expect for bright spring days?
• Look at the roof and fixings (from the ground) and check for obviously slipped tiles or visibly loose rails. If anything looks off, call a professional roofer.
• Trim back overhanging branches (or use a tree surgeon or gardener) to ensure the panels get as much direct sunlight as possible.

If you have battery storage, spring is also a good time to check these are working correctly. Make sure they are getting enough ventilation and the settings still match your intended usage patterns.

Summer 

In summer, your system should be working at its best, so it is the right time to make sure nothing is holding it back.

• Keep an eye on the generation output. If it drops suddenly on clear days, there may be a fault.
• Consider a gentle clean if panels look visibly dirty, especially in areas affected by pollen, dust, or moss.
• Make sure vents, inverters and batteries (if installed) are in cool, well‑ventilated indoor spaces and not blocked by bulky or heavy items in, for example, lofts or garages.

A quick mid‑summer check can isolate potential issues early and prevent a whole season of poorer performance.

Autumn 

Autumn brings falling leaves, high winds and more frequent rain, all of which can affect solar panels.

• Check for leaves collecting on or around the panels, particularly near gutters and valleys in the roof.
• Inspect any trees again, as new growth over the summer may now cast shade over the panels.
• After any heavy storms, check (from the ground) for dislodged panels or visibly shifted mounting rails.
• Make a note of any unusual noises from the roof area during high winds and report them to an installer if you are concerned.

This preparation helps ensure your system is ready for the months where it’s colder and darker, when every accumulated unit counts.

Winter 

In winter, panels are generally self‑sufficient but need to be periodically checked for damage, rather than thoroughly cleaned.

• Do not try to clear snow or ice while it is slippery – it will usually melt quickly on its own.
• After harsh thunderstorms, perform a visual check for damage to panels, frames, and roof tiles.
• Keep an eye on your inverter and generation data for unexpected drops.

With shorter, darker days, it can be tricky to tell what is “normal”, so this is often when a professional inspection is most helpful if you suspect a problem.

Safe cleaning tips for your solar panels in Sussex 

Cleaning can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your panels. They may be dirty, which would warrant giving them a clean anyway, but it must be done safely and gently.

Key principles:

• Never walk on your roof, lean dangerously from windows, or attempt cleaning if you are not confident with ladders. In many cases, it is safer and more cost‑effective to book a professional clean.
• Use soft tools only. A soft brush, microfibre cloth or non‑abrasive sponge with clean water is usually enough. Avoid scouring pads or anything that could scratch the exterior glass layer.
• Avoid harsh chemicals. Detergents or strong cleaning agents can leave residues or damage coatings. Ordinary tap or de-ionised water is sufficient.
• Clean when panels are cool (early morning or early evening is best). Spraying cold water onto hot glass in strong sun can stress or crack the surface.
• Never use a pressure washer. High‑pressure jets can damage seals or force water into electrics, which will void your warranty if you have one.

If access is difficult, many homeowners arrange periodic cleaning via specialist solar maintenance companies rather than doing it themselves.

How to monitor your solar panels

Most modern solar systems include monitoring features. This will usually be via the inverter display, a dedicated smartphone app, or a smart‑home portal if you have technology integrated throughout your home.

Regardless of the monitoring output, look out for the following:

• Sudden drops in output that cannot be explained by cloud, weather or season.
• One string or section of the array showing much lower output than the others, if your monitoring breaks data down by string or panel group.
• Error codes, warning lights or repeated inverter shutdowns.
• Changes in your electricity bills that don’t match how you are using energy.

Keep a simple log of any issues, dates, weather conditions and screenshots. This gives your installer useful information if you need support or a call‑out.

When to call a professional solar panel company

There are several tasks that are best left to accredited professionals like Village Heating:

• Detailed electrical testing of panels, cabling, inverters and isolators.
• Checking and tightening electrical connections.
• Inspecting roof fixings, rails, and waterproofing around mounting points.
• Diagnosing persistent error codes, inverter faults, or repeated system resets.
• Assessing whether adding battery storage or upgrading components could improve overall performance.

Using a local, MCS‑registered specialist means they are familiar with most domestic solar panel issues. They can also respond quickly if your issue is urgent.

How Village Heating can help

Village Heating already supports homeowners across Uckfield and the surrounding Wealden towns with boilers, central heating and renewable technologies, including solar panels. Our accredited team can design, install, service and repair solar PV systems as part of a wider, whole‑home approach to heating and energy efficiency.

For Sussex homeowners, this means you have one trusted point of contact for solar, heating and hot water issues (something everyone wants to avoid this time of year). Our local Gas Safe, OFTEC, NICEIC and MCS-registered engineers also understand how your solar panels interact with boilers and cylinders, so we’re best placed to help your panels get back up to speed again.

If you are unsure whether your panels are performing at their best – or are interested in adding solar panels or battery storage to an existing heating system – get in touch with Village Heating today. We’re happy to arrange a solar panel survey in Sussex, discuss maintenance options, or arrange a visit from a friendly, local engineer who will get your system running efficiently all year round.