Frequently Asked Questions
Our professional cleaning process is a safe, effective, multi-step method that uses specialized equipment to protect your investment. We use soft-bristle brushes and 100% pure deionized (DI) water to ensure a gentle, spot-free clean without the use of harsh chemicals or high-pressure washers.
Our process is designed to deliver a superior clean while prioritizing the safety and longevity of your solar array. Here’s how it works:
Safety First: Upon arrival, our technicians conduct a visual inspection of the array and surrounding roof area. While the system typically remains on during cleaning, our team is trained in electrical awareness and uses insulated tools to ensure safety.
Gentle Agitation: We use long-reach poles fitted with extremely soft, non-abrasive rotating brushes that are specifically designed for solar panel glass. These brushes gently agitate and lift all surface contaminants, including stubborn bird droppings and baked-on grime, without any risk of scratching the panel's anti-reflective coating.
Purified Water Rinse: The core of our process is the use of a commercial-grade de ionization (DI) water filtration system. This system removes 100% of dissolved minerals (like calcium and magnesium) from the water. Unlike regular tap water, which leaves behind light-blocking mineral spots when it dries, our pure DI water rinse leaves the glass completely clear and residue-free for maximum sunlight absorption.
No Harmful Methods: We explicitly do not use high-pressure washers, which can force water past the panel’s seals and cause permanent damage, voiding your warranty. We also avoid all soaps and detergents, as they can leave behind a sticky film that actually attracts more dirt.
This professional, science-based approach ensures your panels are not just visibly clean, but are performing at their absolute peak.
Yes, our cleaning method is absolutely safe for both your roof and your solar panel warranty. We strictly adhere to manufacturer maintenance guidelines by using only soft brushes and purified water, and our technicians are experienced professionals trained to work on all roof types without causing damage.
Protecting your warranty is one of the most important aspects of our service. Most solar panel manufacturers provide a 25-year performance warranty, but this coverage is often contingent on proper care and maintenance.11 Using improper cleaning methods, such as abrasive chemicals or high-pressure water sprays, can easily damage the panels' sensitive surfaces or seals and give the manufacturer grounds to deny a future warranty claim.
Our entire process is designed to be compliant with these warranty requirements. We avoid anything that could potentially harm your system. Furthermore, our team has over 30 years of experience in the building services industry and knows how to navigate roofs— including fragile tile or steep-pitched roofs—safely and without causing damage to your property. By choosing Total Solar Cleaning, you are not only improving your system's performance but also actively protecting its long-term warranty.
For most residential homes in East Bay communities like Walnut Creek, Concord, or Danville, a professional solar panel cleaning typically costs between $175 and $350.
We believe in transparent pricing without the hidden fees or "bait-and-switch" tactics that some people report experiencing. The final cost of a cleaning service is influenced by a few key factors:
Number of Panels: The more panels you have, the more time and resources the job requires.
Roof Accessibility: A single-story home with a low-pitched roof is easier and faster to service than a three-story home with a steep roof, which requires additional safety equipment and time.
Level of Soiling: Panels that haven't been cleaned in several years and are covered in heavy grime, lichen, or bird droppings will require more intensive work than panels with only a light layer of dust.
To ensure complete transparency, we have a minimum service charge of $175 to cover our team's travel, setup, and specialized water filtration equipment. We always provide a firm, detailed, and no-obligation quote after assessing your specific property, so you know the exact cost before we begin any work.
Yes, we offer several ways for our clients to get the best value. Our most popular option is our recurring maintenance plan, which allows you to schedule cleanings on a semi-annual or quarterly basis at a discounted rate and gives you priority booking during our busiest seasons.
We also offer bundling discounts for clients who wish to combine multiple services in a single visit. Many homeowners find it convenient and cost-effective to have their solar panels, gutters, and windows all cleaned at the same time. By scheduling these services together, you save on multiple service call fees and ensure your home's entire exterior is maintained. Please ask about our current discounts when you call for a quote.
Our Cleaning Process & Pricing
Yes, wildfire ash is potentially hazardous and requires a specific, careful cleaning process. Unlike regular dust, ash from burned structures can be toxic and corrosive, containing heavy metals, chemicals, and particles that are harmful if inhaled and can damage your panels if not removed correctly.
Wildfires are an unfortunate reality in California, and the ash they produce is a unique and challenging type of soiling. Research shows that when homes, cars, and electronics burn, the resulting ash can contain a complex mixture of harmful substances, including lead, arsenic, asbestos, and petroleum byproducts. When this ash settles on your panels and mixes with morning dew, it can create a highly alkaline or basic solution (pH 10-13). This corrosive slurry can, over time, damage the anti-reflective coating on your panels' glass.
For these reasons, we offer a rapid-response cleaning service after wildfire events. Our process prioritizes safety for both your property and our technicians. We use a gentle, low pressure, high-volume rinse with our deionized water, which helps neutralize the ash's pH and safely lifts the fine particles away without scratching the glass. We strongly advise against hosing the panels off yourself, as this can create a hazardous runoff and risk inhaling toxic particles.
Yes, that yellow dust is pollen, and it absolutely reduces your energy output, often significantly. Bay Area pollen is not like dry dust; it is a sticky, biological film that can cut your solar production by over 15% and is particularly resistant to being washed away by rain.
From roughly March through June, the East Bay air is heavy with pollen, primarily from oak, pine, birch, and various grasses. This pollen settles on your panels and, when mixed with a little moisture from dew or light rain, forms a cement-like organic layer. A 2023 NREL study confirmed that this "bio-soiling" is a major issue, causing performance losses of 15% or more during peak season.
The most critical finding from the NREL research was that this pollen layer is persistent. Unlike loose dust, it bonds to the panel surface, and the study showed that rainfall was not effective at removing it. To restore performance, a mechanical cleaning with soft brushes is necessary to break down and scrub away this sticky film. If you see that yellow coating, you are seeing lost energy production.
Yes, salt air is a factor for solar panel performance and longevity throughout the Bay Area, not just on the immediate coast. The salt spray creates a crystalline film that reduces energy production and, more importantly, can accelerate the corrosion of your system's metal components over time.
Sea spray containing salt crystals can travel many miles inland, especially on windy days. This salt-laden moisture settles on your panels. As it dries, it leaves a thin, semi transparent layer of salt crystals. This film directly blocks a portion of sunlight, reducing your system's efficiency.
While the glass itself is highly resistant, the bigger, long-term risk is corrosion. Saltwater is an electrolyte that dramatically speeds up the rusting of metal. Although modern solar panel frames are made from corrosion-resistant anodized aluminum and certified with tests like the IEC 61701 salt mist test, constant exposure can still degrade the frame, racking, and electrical connections over years. Regular professional cleaning is the most effective preventative maintenance. It washes away these corrosive salt deposits before they have a chance to cause cumulative damage, protecting not just your energy output but the physical integrity of your entire system.
Bay Area-Specific Challenges: Ash, Pollen, and Salt
Solar panel bird proofing is a physical barrier system that we install around the outer perimeter of your solar array. Its purpose is to permanently and humanely block pigeons and other critters from getting into the space between your panels and your roof. The system consists of a strong, weather-resistant wire mesh that is secured to the panels with specialized clips that do not drill into or damage your panels in any way, ensuring your warranty remains intact.
It is critically important because birds nesting under your panels create a serious fire risk, can cause expensive physical damage, reduce your system's performance, and lead to health hazards. While it may seem like a minor nuisance, an unchecked bird problem can compromise your entire solar investment.
Here are the primary dangers:
Wiring/Electrical Issues: While pigeons aren’t as prone to chewing as rodents, they can disturb or dislodge wiring when trying to nest or move under the panels
Fire Hazard: Birds build nests from dry, highly flammable materials like twigs, leaves, and paper. They pack this kindling tightly around your system's electrical wiring and inverters, which generate heat during operation. This creates a significant and unnecessary fire risk on your roof.
Corrosion and Wire Damage: Bird droppings are very acidic. Over time, the accumulation of droppings can corrode the protective coating on your wiring and the metal racking that holds your system in place. Birds and squirrels have also been known to chew on wires, which can cause short circuits and system failure.
Reduced Efficiency and Lifespan: A dense collection of nesting material blocks airflow underneath the panels. Solar panels need this airflow to stay cool and operate efficiently. When they overheat, their performance drops, and prolonged exposure to high temperatures can accelerate their degradation and shorten their 25-year lifespan.
Health Risks and Other Pests: An accumulation of bird droppings is unsanitary and can harbor diseases. It can also attract other unwanted pests like rodents and insects to your roof.
We use only professional-grade materials designed for longevity and effectiveness. Our barrier system is constructed from a heavy-duty, PVC-coated, galvanized steel wire mesh. This is not the same as flimsy plastic netting or chicken wire.
The galvanized steel core provides strength to keep out persistent pests, while the thick PVC coating serves two crucial functions: it prevents the metal mesh from scratching or marring your solar panel frames, and it provides an extra layer of protection against rust and corrosion, ensuring the barrier lasts for many years. The mesh features a 1/2-inch opening, which is the industry standard. This size is small enough to block birds and squirrels but large enough to permit essential airflow and water drainage, preventing moisture buildup or overheating.
The cost for professional bird proofing is based on the total perimeter of your solar array and is typically priced per linear foot. For most residential installations in the Bay Area, the rate is between $9 and $13 per linear foot. This often translates to a total one-time cost of between $900 and $2500 depending on the size of the home solar system.
This price includes all materials—the PVC-coated steel mesh and the specialized, non penetrating attachment clips—and the professional labor to install it. When you consider the potential cost of repairing chewed wires or replacing a damaged inverter, bird proofing is a very cost-effective preventative measure that protects your larger solar investment.
Bird Proofing & Critter Prevention
Yes, we offer comprehensive gutter cleaning services. Our team will thoroughly remove all leaves, twigs, and debris from your gutters and eavestroughs, and then flush your downspouts to ensure they are clear and flowing freely.
Clogged gutters are a leading cause of water damage to a home's roof, siding, and foundation. We recommend having your gutters cleaned at least once a year, typically in the fall after the leaves have dropped and before the winter rains begin. Many of our clients choose to bundle our gutter cleaning and solar panel cleaning services into a single visit for convenience and cost savings.
Absolutely. We are a full-service exterior maintenance company and are happy to provide professional window cleaning services during our visit. Just like with our solar panel cleaning, we use our commercial-grade deionized (DI) water system and professional grade squeegees to leave your windows perfectly clean and streak-free. Bundling your solar, gutter, and window cleaning is a great way to take care of all your home's exterior cleaning needs in one efficient appointment.
Additional Home Exterior Services
We provide solar panel cleaning and maintenance for a wide range of commercial, industrial, and institutional clients across the Bay Area. Our team has the equipment and experience to service everything from small office buildings and retail storefronts to large-scale facilities like schools, wineries, warehouses, and multi-acre ground-mounted solar farms. We have experience working with property managers, HOAs, business owners, and facilities directors to meet their specific needs.
While the goal is the same—maximizing energy output—commercial solar panel cleaning differs in scale, technology, and reporting.
Scale and Frequency: Commercial solar arrays are typically much larger and represent a more substantial capital investment. To protect this investment and maximize ROI, more frequent cleanings are often necessary, with many of our commercial clients opting for a quarterly or biannual schedule.
Advanced Technology: For large, uniform commercial rooftops or ground-mounted solar farms, we can deploy advanced automated and robotic cleaning systems. These robots provide an exceptionally consistent and efficient clean, reducing time on-site and labor costs, which we pass on to our clients.
Detailed Reporting: We understand that commercial clients require documentation for their maintenance records. Following each service, we provide a detailed report that includes before-and-after photos, a summary of the work performed, and notes on any visible issues we may have observed with the racking or wiring, such as loose connections or pest-related damage, or of course any broken panels we find.
Yes, absolutely. We understand that commercial operations cannot be disrupted. We offer highly flexible scheduling to meet the needs of your business. Our team can perform cleaning services during off-peak hours, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, or during scheduled shutdowns to ensure our work never interferes with your employees, customers, or workflow.
For Our Commercial Clients
Our business is based in Walnut Creek, and we are proud to be the East Bay's local solar cleaning specialists. We provide primary service to all cities in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties, including Walnut Creek, Concord, Danville, San Ramon, Lafayette, Pleasanton, Livermore, Oakland, and Hayward. For commercial work we also serve the greater San Francisco Bay Area, including parts of San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties.
Yes, we are a fully licensed, bonded, and insured professional service company. We carry comprehensive General Liability Insurance to protect your property from any accidental damage and Workers' Compensation Insurance to cover our team members while they are on your property. We believe this is a non-negotiable aspect of professionalism in our industry, and we are happy to provide a copy of our insurance certificate upon request for your peace of mind.
Our technicians are highly trained professionals, not general laborers. Every team member completes rigorous safety training, including courses in roof safety protocols and electrical hazard awareness. This ensures they can work safely and effectively around high-voltage solar energy systems. Our training is aligned with the best practices set forth by industry leaders like the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), which is considered the gold standard for certification in the solar industry.This commitment to professional development ensures your valuable solar asset is always in expert hands.
We stand behind the quality of our work with a straightforward and reliable satisfaction guarantee. We offer a 7-day re-clean guarantee on all our services. If for any reason you are not completely satisfied with our work, or if you notice any spots we may have missed, simply give us a call within one week of your service date. We will schedule a time to return to your property promptly and re-clean the affected areas at no additional charge. Your satisfaction is our top priority.
Getting a free, no-obligation quote is easy. You can reach us by phone or through our website.
• For Residential Service: Call us at (925) 324-2885.
• For Commercial Service: Call us at (833) 444-4173.
• Online: Simply fill out the quick "Get Quote" form on our website.
We will discuss your property's specific needs, answer any other questions you might have, and provide you with a detailed and transparent quote, typically within one business day.
Working with Total Solar Cleaning