If you’re getting solar panels installed in your business or at home, you know that you’re on the way to cost savings on energy bills. In fact, solar panels can save you up to 50% on your annual electricity bill – which is a significant saving! 

There are ways you can maximise the potential savings with solar panels. Regular maintenance and considerations during installation help your energy to go further throughout the year.

Here are our five top suggestions of how to make the most of your solar panels:  

Keep solar panels clean

Solar panels are installed on a roof, so they will collect dust, leaves, and other forms of dirt. This debris will cover the panels and prevent them from working at full capacity. Over time will make them less effective. 

It’s recommended to clean solar panels every 6-12 months in order to keep them working well and allowing maximum sunlight filter into them. 

As part of our maintenance options, JC Group can arrange to regularly clean and check the working order of your solar panels. We will use proper and safe equipment to get to the panels on your roof and wipe any debris. 

Don’t let trees cover your solar panels

For a similar reason that you need to keep solar panels clean, any trees or shrubs that cover the light to your solar panels are affecting the amount of sunlight they can absorb, and energy they can produce. 

When we install solar panels, we assess the area to make sure they are placed in the optimal position, which includes tree coverage. 

But there could be foliage that grows after they are installed, so that should be maintained regularly to ensure that maximum sunlight reaches the panels. 

Use appliances and charge devices while it’s sunny

‘Make hay while the sun shines’, as they say! Solar panels work all year round, but on the occasions when the sun is shining and the sky is clear, this is the optimum time to save money on your electricity bill. 

The sun is supplying energy that can be directly used to put on the dishwasher, run the washing machine, take a shower, charge your devices or charge your EV. 

Getting into small habits like this can save further on your bills as you’re relying less on the grid and more on your panels.

Don’t overload the system

Try to avoid using multiple appliances at once, as this increases the amount of energy your home or business needs to take from the grid. 

By limiting the number of appliances or charging devices at once, you’re allowing your solar panels to provide energy to one source at a time and not stretch it resources. 

If you get into good daily habits, you can work out how to have the dishwasher on at a different time to the washing machine and maximise the power coming from your solar panels. 

Upgrade your appliances 

Whether at home or in the office, older appliances can use more electricity than newer ones. By upgrading appliances you could save up to 20% of the energy you use to run them.

More modern technology and more conscious production means that new appliances are built to be more energy efficient and also often include eco settings.

These upgrades (which also should include switching older light bulbs to new energy efficient ones), will mean your solar panels won’t have to work as hard to power your appliances.

These are all fairly simple measures that can be taken at home or in your workplace to ensure that you get the most out of your solar panels. 

You will see positive returns and lower energy bills, and these tips will help your savings go that bit further!

Get in touch with our team to get a solar panel installer you can trust.