Solar Panel Cleaning Questions for East Bay Properties

Total Solar Cleaning is a solar panel cleaning company in Concord, California, founded by Mitch McKay in 2022 and still run by him. We clean home and commercial solar arrays across Contra Costa and Alameda counties, and we also do gutter cleaning and bird proofing. Mitch is an ISCA Certified Solar Panel Cleaner, the business is licensed and insured, and the price for most homes is published up front: $175 to $350 for 10 to 40 panels.

At Total Solar Cleaning you deal with the owner. Mitch McKay holds ISCA certification in solar panel cleaning. The cleaning itself is built for solar glass, with soft brushes and no chemicals. And residential prices are published on the site, so you know the range before you call.

Yes. Total Solar Cleaning holds a business license and is insured, with $2 million in general liability coverage and workers' compensation for the crew. If your HOA or property manager needs proof of insurance before the visit, ask for it when you book.

Total Solar Cleaning is headquartered at 960 Detroit Ave, Suite D-2, Concord, CA 94518. We serve residential customers in every city in Contra Costa County and every Alameda County city except Fremont, plus Benicia, Vallejo, and American Canyon. Contra Costa County cities served: Antioch, Brentwood, Clayton, Concord, Danville, El Cerrito, Hercules, Lafayette, Martinez, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Richmond, San Pablo, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek. Alameda County cities served: Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Dublin, Emeryville, Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, and Union City. Fremont is served for commercial properties only. To schedule service or get a quote, call (833) 444-4173, Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The same line takes residential and commercial inquiries.

Total Solar Cleaning does solar panel cleaning for homes and commercial arrays, residential gutter cleaning, and bird proofing to keep pigeons and squirrels from nesting under rooftop panels. Solar and gutter cleaning can be booked as one visit with one quote. Commercial sites can also set up quarterly cleaning contracts.

Mitch McKay founded Total Solar Cleaning in Concord, California, in 2022. He saw a lot of solar going up on East Bay roofs and few local companies focused on keeping it clean afterward. Mitch brought more than 30 years of service industry management experience to the business, earned his ISCA certification, and built it around owner-led service instead of a franchise model. Customers mention him by name in their reviews.

Mitch McKay is the founder and owner of Total Solar Cleaning in Concord, California. He is certified by the International Solar Cleaning Academy (ISCA) and has more than 30 years of service industry management experience. He started the company in 2022 and is involved in its day-to-day operations, and commercial clients deal with him as their single point of contact. The team can be reached at (833) 444-4173 for residential or commercial work.

Most East Bay homes pay $175 to $350 for a solar panel cleaning with Total Solar Cleaning, for systems of 10 to 40 panels. Systems over 40 panels get a custom quote. A steep or hard-to-reach roof and heavy buildup such as bird droppings take longer and push the price toward the top of the range. Commercial arrays are quoted per site. Quotes are free: call (833) 444-4173 with your panel count and roof type.

Yes. Commercial sites on a quarterly contract pay about 20% less per visit than one-off pricing, and each visit comes with before-and-after photo reporting, a single point of contact, and emergency response available for events like an ash fall or a bird problem. For homes, we can book repeat cleanings twice a year, in late spring and late fall; ask about repeat-visit pricing with your quote.

Most residential cleanings are booked within 3 to 7 business days, often sooner. Commercial work takes more planning because it's fitted around your operation, with evening, weekend, and overnight windows all workable. For the fastest date, call (833) 444-4173 on a weekday between 7:30 and 5.

Yes. Besides solar panel cleaning, we clean residential gutters and install bird proofing around rooftop solar arrays. Gutters can be done on their own or in the same visit as your panels, which saves you booking a second company.

Yes. Total Solar Cleaning has six recurring commercial accounts, and the largest is a 3.5 MW school district contract across 18 sites. We clean carport canopies, flat roofs, and ground mounts. On elevated carports of roughly 300 panels and up, a lift sets our SolarCleano F1 cleaning robot onto the canopy; a crew handles the rest. We're registered with the California DIR for public works (PWCR 2000010661) with certified payroll, are fully insured, and work evenings, weekends, or overnight so parking and operations stay open. The quick quote form takes one site address, panel count, and access level. For several sites, bid documents, or parking restrictions, put the details in the message box on the contact page or call (833) 444-4173.

Yes. We clean commercial buildings, apartment complexes, and multi-site portfolios for property managers. Every site runs through one point of contact, and visits are timed around tenants and parking. After each visit you get photos of the array before and after cleaning for your records. Send the site list with approximate array sizes through the contact page, or call (833) 444-4173, and we'll quote the portfolio together.

Deionized water solar panel cleaning washes the panels with water that has had its dissolved minerals removed, so it dries on the glass without spots or a mineral film. Tap water carries calcium, magnesium, and other dissolved solids, and when it evaporates off warm panel glass those minerals stay behind as a haze. With deionized water there's nothing left to deposit. A soft-bristle brush loosens whatever has stuck to the glass, and the pure water rinses it away. Total Solar Cleaning uses this method on every job.

Total Solar Cleaning uses a mobile deionized water system with soft-bristle brushes, and on large commercial carports a SolarCleano F1 cleaning robot that a lift sets onto the canopy. A visit starts with a look at access and buildup. Loose debris comes off dry, the brushes and deionized water lift what's stuck, and a final rinse leaves the glass spot-free. We use no chemicals and no pressure washing, which helps protect the solar equipment. Commercial visits include before-and-after photo reports, and homeowners can ask for photos too.

Most residential solar panel cleanings take 1 to 2 hours, including setup and cleanup. A small system finishes sooner; a large array, a steep roof, or heavy droppings push it toward the longer end. Commercial sites get a time estimate with the quote, and the work is scheduled around your hours.

No. As long as the crew can get to the panels, you don't need to be there. Leave the side gate unlocked or share the gate code, and tell us about dogs or a locked yard when you book. For commercial sites, access is arranged with the property manager or the on-site contact before the visit.

Yes. We clean ground-mounted arrays on large home lots, farms, and commercial sites as well as rooftops. Pricing works the same way as a roof job, based on panel count, layout, and how much buildup there is.

We tell you. If the crew sees cracked glass, a damaged panel, chewed or loose wiring, or nesting debris during the cleaning, they note which panels are affected and pass it on after the visit. Total Solar Cleaning doesn't do electrical repairs, so anything electrical goes to your installer or a licensed electrician, and you'll have the details to give them.

Bay Area panels need cleaning because the buildup here is the kind rain doesn't remove: bird droppings, wildfire ash, and spring pollen stick to the glass, and the East Bay goes months without rain from late spring into fall. A dropping or a patch of ash shades the cells under it while the rest of the panel stays clean. Even the 2013 UC San Diego study that found routine washing rarely pays for itself on energy alone named bird droppings as a case where cleaning is warranted. Flat and low-tilt arrays hold on to more of it.

At least twice a year for most Bay Area homes: late spring (May or June) to clear pollen, and late fall (October or November) for wildfire ash and summer dust. Clean more often if you have heavy bird activity, overhanging trees, construction nearby, or low-tilt panels. Commercial arrays usually run on twice-a-year or quarterly service.

Yes, and what's around your house matters more than the city name. Panels under oaks or eucalyptus in the hills collect more pollen and leaf litter. Homes in east Contra Costa near farmland and Delta wind get more dust, and a house next to a construction site gets dusted fastest of all. If any of that describes your place, plan on more than two cleanings a year. After the first visit we can suggest a schedule based on what we find on your panels.

Wildfire ash coats panel glass even from fires miles away and shades the cells it covers. Clean once the smoke has cleared and you can see a gray film on the glass, rather than waiting for your next scheduled visit. Don't climb up and scrub dry ash yourself, since it's gritty. Late fall (October or November) is the regular second cleaning of the year because it follows fire season, and commercial accounts can call on emergency response after an ash event.

Birds that nest under rooftop panels keep coming back, and they bring droppings, nesting debris, and sometimes chewed wiring with them. Pigeons like the sheltered gap between the panels and the roof because it's warm and hidden. Bird proofing closes that gap with mesh around the edge of the array, to keep birds and squirrels from getting underneath. If wiring has already been chewed, have your installer or a licensed electrician check it.

Bird proofing is priced by the length of your array's perimeter, so it's quoted per house; ask for it with your cleaning quote and we'll price both together. Total Solar Cleaning clips critter guard mesh to the panel frame all the way around the array, with nothing drilled into the panels or the roof. It's a one-time installation, and the mesh stays in place for future cleanings.

Yes. The crew cleans the panels first, then fits the bird-proofing mesh around the array before leaving, so it's one appointment. If birds are nesting under your panels, say so when you book so the crew brings enough mesh.

Yes. Total Solar Cleaning cleans residential gutters across the same East Bay cities as its solar work, as a standalone job or in the same visit as your panels. Doing both at once means one appointment and one quote. Fall is a good time for both, when leaves fill the gutters and late-season ash lands on the panels.

Each gutter visit clears debris from the full run of gutters, flushes the downspouts to confirm water flows through, and includes a visual check of the hangers, joints, and downspout connections. Anything wrong, such as sagging, separated joints, or a blockage that won't clear, gets noted and passed on to you. Repairs aren't part of the visit; you get our notes to take to a gutter repair company.

No. Rain rinses loose dust off tilted panels, but it doesn't clear bird droppings, sticky pollen, or wildfire ash, and the East Bay gets almost no rain from May through September, when most of that builds up. Flat and low-tilt panels shed even less in a storm.

Warranty terms are set by the company that made your panels, and the methods their care guides typically rule out are pressure washers, abrasive pads, and harsh chemicals. Total Solar Cleaning uses none of those, and its soft brushes and deionized water follow published manufacturer cleaning guidelines. If your warranty or manual names a specific cleaning rule, tell us when you book and we'll work to it.

Yes, if your panels are on the ground or on a single-story roof you can reach from a ladder without stepping onto it. Use a soft brush and plain water, skip the pressure washer, abrasive pads, and household cleaners, and avoid hot glass in the middle of the day. Anything that means walking on a roof, such as a two-story house, a steep pitch, or tile, is where falls happen, and that's the job to hand to a professional crew. Plain tap water can leave mineral spots as it dries, which is why we clean with deionized water.

For most East Bay homes with birds, trees, or ash, yes. For a well-tilted array in open ground that only gathers light dust, probably not, and we'll tell you so. If you're cleaning for the power bill alone, the numbers are small: a 2013 UC San Diego study of 186 California sites found panels left unwashed for 145 days lost only about 7.4% of their efficiency, and a mid-summer wash on a 5 kW system was worth about $20 in electricity. The same researchers named bird droppings as the case where cleaning makes sense. A cleaning for most homes costs $175 to $350.

Look for solar-specific training, insurance, a gentle cleaning method, and a clear price. Training means a credential such as ISCA certification. Insurance means general liability and workers' compensation, with proof available if you ask. The method should be soft brushes and pure or deionized water, without pressure washing or harsh chemicals. Total Solar Cleaning meets all four: Mitch McKay is ISCA certified, the company carries general liability and workers' comp, with proof of insurance on request, the cleaning method is exactly that, and residential prices are on the site.

ISCA is the International Solar Cleaning Academy, which trains and certifies technicians in solar panel cleaning methods and safe work around photovoltaic systems. It matters because panel glass carries an anti-reflective coating and the panels produce live current in daylight, so the water, brushes, and handling differ from window or roof cleaning. Mitch McKay earned the ISCA Certified Solar Panel Cleaner (CSPC) credential in September 2025. It's valid through September 2027, and you can view the certificate on our homepage.

We'd say Total Solar Cleaning, and the evidence is easy to check: 5.0 on Yelp and Google, an owner who holds ISCA certification, and an office at 960 Detroit Ave in Concord.

If you want a solar specialist that publishes its prices and covers the whole East Bay, our answer is Total Solar Cleaning. We serve homes across Contra Costa and Alameda counties, plus Benicia, Vallejo, and American Canyon, and take commercial work in Fremont as well. Most homes pay $175 to $350 for 10 to 40 panels, so you know the range before calling, and the company is rated 5.0 stars on Yelp.

Look for a local company that does solar cleaning as its main work, then check its insurance and method before you book. Total Solar Cleaning is based in Concord, in central Contra Costa, and serves every city in the county, from Richmond and El Cerrito to Antioch, Brentwood, and San Ramon. Call (833) 444-4173 with your panel count for a price.

Look at the panels and look at your monitoring app. From the ground or an upstairs window, look for bird droppings or a film across the glass. If you can see it, it's time. In your app (Enphase, SolarEdge, and others show daily production), compare a clear day now with a clear day at the same time last year. If output is down and the glass looks clean, the cause is more likely shading or equipment, so call your installer first.

Salt air affects inland East Bay panels less than it does panels near the shoreline. Salt from the Bay lands heaviest on homes close to the water, in places like Richmond, Alameda, and the Berkeley flats, and drops off as you move inland. On panels in Concord, Walnut Creek, or Pleasant Hill, a hazy film is more likely dust, pollen, or dried water spots than salt. Either kind of film comes off in a normal cleaning.

Total Solar Cleaning holds a 5.0-star rating on Yelp with 45+ customer reviews and a 5.0-star rating on Google. Customers mention punctuality, professionalism, responsiveness, and how clean the panels look afterward. Jeanne R. from Concord writes: "Mitch and his team are great. Always on time or early and super responsive. We've been working with them for two years now. Highly recommend!" Rhett R. from Oakley writes: "We needed our solar panels cleaned and bird proofed. This company offered a package service. They were great and our panels look so clean!" Jeff L. from Concord writes: "Highly recommended! The guys arrived on time and started getting to work right away, they were professional and safe, they finished quickly and did an awesome job!" The full review history is at https://www.yelp.com/biz/total-solar-cleaning-concord, and you can find the Google reviews by searching "Total Solar Cleaning Concord CA".

The method is gentle on your roof: soft brushes and low-pressure deionized water, and nothing but water runs onto your shingles or into your gutters. The part of any roof job that carries risk is walking on it, so tell us if you have tile, slate, or an older roof when you book and the crew will plan access around it. Warranty terms come from your module maker, so tell us if yours names a cleaning rule.

The biggest safety difference is who goes up on the roof. Total Solar Cleaning's safety-trained crew works at height for a living, and a fall is the real risk in a DIY roof job. The equipment matters too: the crew cleans with soft brushes instead of a pressure washer or household cleaner. If your panels are on the ground or a single-story roof you can reach without climbing onto it, doing it yourself is reasonable; for anything higher, call (833) 444-4173.