Panel count puts your home in a price bracket. Roof access and whatever is stuck to the glass decide where in that bracket the quote lands.
How much does it cost to clean solar panels on a house?
These are Total Solar Cleaning's published residential prices:
- 10 to 20 panels: $175 to $225
- 21 to 30 panels: $225 to $295
- 31 to 40 panels: $295 to $350
- More than 40 panels: custom quote
An approximate count is enough to start. You can count the panels from the street, or find the number on the installer's paperwork.
What moves a quote up or down inside its bracket?
Two things move a quote inside its bracket: how hard the panels are to reach, and what's on them. A single-story roof with a gentle pitch and a clear spot for the ladder is quick to set up. A steep two-story roof with one workable ladder position takes longer before any water touches the glass. So two homes with 25 panels each can get different quotes.
Buildup on the glass is the second thing that moves a quote. Light dust and pollen come off quickly under a soft brush. Bird droppings that baked on through a dry summer take more time to lift without scratching the glass, and that time shows up in the price. If pigeons are nesting under the panels, say so when you ask, because bird proofing can be quoted for the same visit.
Does a ground-mount system cost less to clean?
A ground mount is priced in the same panel brackets as a roof system, with no separate ground-mount rate. Access won't push its quote up, because there's no ladder, pitch, or roof edge to work around, so panel count and buildup set the number. Our comparison of ground-mount and roof-mount solar cleaning covers the rest of the difference.
Is the first cleaning more expensive than later visits?
A first cleaning usually costs more when the panels have gone years without one, because heavy buildup is one of the two things that move a quote. Tell us roughly when the panels were last cleaned, even if the answer is never.
Most Bay Area homes do well with two cleanings a year: late spring (May or June) to clear pollen, and late fall (October or November) for ash and dry-season dust. If you want visits on a schedule, ask for the repeat-visit price in the same quote.
What does the price include?
Every residential job uses deionized water and soft-bristle brushes, with no chemicals and no pressure washing. Deionized water dries without leaving mineral spots, and the method follows published manufacturer cleaning guidelines. Owner Mitch McKay holds the ISCA Certified Solar Panel Cleaner credential. The business is licensed and insured, with $2 million in general liability coverage and workers' compensation for the crew.
Does the price change in Danville or Livermore?
The published brackets are the same in Danville, Livermore, and the rest of the service area. What changes from house to house is the roof. For how panel count, access and buildup compare across the region, see how much solar panel cleaning costs in the Bay Area.
For a price on your own roof, call (833) 444-4173 or send your address and approximate panel count.