Sound Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Solar Repair’

Should You Go Solar This Year?

Monday, August 22nd, 2022

pole-mounted-solar-panelSolar energy has seen increasing popularity with homeowners in the past several years. It may have crossed your mind without you giving it a second thought. Or maybe it has been heavy on your mind and you just don’t know if the time is right. The good news is that there’s no better time than now to invest in solar energy. 

If you need the encouragement to take the leap, we can offer it to you. Our solar services include solar repair in Tacoma, WA, so we can walk with you every step of the way through your solar journey – even offering services after your initial investment. After all, installing solar panels isn’t a one-and-done project. You have to learn how to maximize your investment and care for your panels. 

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How to Prevent Solar Repair Sessions

Wednesday, April 9th, 2014

Continual advances in solar technology have made the free power of the sun available to more and more homeowners. Solar power isn’t perfect, however. For all their major benefits, the photovalic cells of solar energy systems can sustain damage and require repairs or replacements. They need less repair work than systems with extensive mechanical parts, such as furnaces, but any problems they encounter need to be taken seriously with professional repair work.

We’ll show you some ways you can prevent needing to call for repairs for your solar energy system. But in the event that you do need solar repair service in Puyallup, WA, you can count on Sound Heating to come to your rescue. We have 24-hour emergency service available for your peace of mind.

How to keep your solar panels from needing repairs

The major concern with solar energy systems are the solar panels on the roof. Although built for durability (the cells contain no moving parts and most have an expected lifespan of more than 20 years according the U.S. Department of Energy), these panels can still suffer damage from weather conditions an aging. Heavy rain is a particular concern in the Puget Sound Area. The best way to make sure that the cells will not sustain water damage is with regular maintenance from solar energy professionals. It’s important to have a yearly inspection to discover places where cracking is occurring in the glass covering the cells (which can sometimes suffer damage due to hail or debris blown from high winds) that will allow rain water inside.

Maintenance will also look for dust and dirt that might interfere with the electrical relays from the panels. The Department of Energy estimates that solar energy systems for homes require about 16 hours per year of maintenance to keep them from breaking down. Although you could try some of the maintenance on your own, most of this will consist of basic cleaning of the glass surfaces. Have professionals take care of a good chunk of the time needed each year to keep the cells in their best shape and out of danger of needing serious repairs.

Maintenance is the key

You can’t do more to protect your solar cells that wouldn’t involve covering them up, which would destroy their effectiveness. To keep away repair needs, you should instead rely on regular professional maintenance. An annual maintenance job is not expensive, and it costs much less than the price of replacing damaged solar cells. You should still do some basic cleaning as well, but leave the rest to the experts.

Contact Sound Heating to schedule your annual visit for maintenance so you won’t need to later make an emergency call for solar repair in Puyallup, WA.

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Signs Your Solar Panels Need Repair

Wednesday, March 5th, 2014

Our customers at Sound Heating are often looking for ways to reduce their energy bills as well their impact on the environment. The best way to do both is the choose to have a photovalic (PV) solar panel system installed on their roof or other part of their property to harness the free energy of the sun. Solar panels will soon pay back their installation cost through their highly energy-efficient performance.

A solar panel operating with repair needs, however, won’t give you the savings you want—or the power. But it can be difficult to tell when PV panels need repairs because they do not use mechanical parts and show no display outwardly that they are working at all. Here are some things to look for to tell that you may need solar repair service in Olympia, WA for your PV panels.

Watch for these signs that your solar panels need repairs

  • Broken glass casing: Solar panels are built to withstand most weather conditions, but can still sustain damage from debris, such as falling trees, stones hurled in the wind, and hail. If you notice any cracks in your solar panels, from small factures to a web of shattered glass, don’t ignore it or hesitate with calling for repairs. Water getting inside the panels can cause fogging and eventually other serious damage to the panels.
  • Power from the cells cuts in and out: An issue that can afflict solar panels is loose solder connections or other problems with the wiring such as corrosion and oxidation, which can lead to the panels cutting in and out when they are heating and cooling. If you rap your hand against the panels and their power cuts in or out, then you should call for repairs to fix the connections and locate any other panels that may have similar problems.
  • Drop in power production: You should keep close track on the power meter for your solar system to see how it performs on average (measured in killowatts per day) as compared to the manufacturer’s expected average. If drops occur that you cannot account for because of weather conditions such as clouds or rain, then the panels may be losing their capacity for some reason and will need repairs.  
  • Error message on the inverter: Check the inverter once a week to see that it is operating correctly or displaying an error message. The problem may actually be with the inverter itself, but it could also be a problem with the panels. Record the error code on the inverter and then call professionals to see what can be done.

Solar panels need precision repairs, and you can only get this through experts in solar power technology. Trust to the solar repair experts in Olympia, WA at Sound Heating to take care of your sun-powered needs.

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Heating Tip: Preventing the Need for Solar Repair Service

Monday, February 4th, 2013

As more and more homeowners in Tacoma, WA are attempting to make their homes more environmentally friendly many are turning to solar power. The sun is up there in the sky, after all, giving off an awful lot of energy. It only makes sense to harness that energy and make use of it inside your home. With the installation of a solar heating system in Tacoma you can keep your home warm with a clean, dependable and sustainable energy source. Keep your solar heating system working properly and effectively with these tips from the Tacoma solar pros at Sound Heating & Air.

No home heating system is perfect. Every mechanical system experiences problems in operation at some point, and a solar heating system is no different. There are plenty of steps that you can take, though, to prevent the need for solar repair in Tacoma.

First of all, your solar heating system must receive a professional installation by a qualified Tacoma solar heating technician. This technology is too complex and requires too many components to trust anyone other than a qualified professional. Your system must be properly sized to ensure that it is capable of heating your home as efficiently and effectively as possible. If it is too large it will short cycle frequent, incurring unnecessary wear and tear and heightening the likelihood of system damages. If it is too small it will work too hard to reach temperatures it simply is not capable of attaining. This too increases the likelihood of damage to your system. Call us today to find out more about professional solar installation in Tacoma.

By far the best measure that you can take to minimize solar heating system repair in Tacoma is to schedule professional maintenance service. By having your solar heating system routinely inspected and tuned up you can enjoy reliable, efficient heating service throughout the heating season. Schedule professional maintenance today to keep your solar heating system operating properly.

For more information about solar heating in Tacoma or to schedule an installation or maintenance service, contact Sound Heating & Air. We can help you heat your home more efficiently than ever before. Contact us today to learn more about keeping your solar heating system in prime working condition.

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