Just like all home appliances and equipment, solar panels degrade through time. But suppose you’re a homeowner thinking twice about getting solar panels because of their degradation. In that case, you have to know that it’s still possible to earn significant savings with your solar panels.

The thing is, there are lots of ways to slow down the degradation process of your solar panels. Once you do all of these, you can make the most out of your solar panel investments.

What is the average solar panel degradation rate?

Solar panel degradation rate is the level of efficiency of the solar panels. A standard 100-watt solar panel may only produce 80-watt electricity despite prolonged exposure to the sun if the solar panels have already degraded.

A premium, properly installed, and well-kept solar panel degrades by 0.5-0.8% annually. The standard solar panel contractors usually commit to an 87% efficiency rate warranty after 15 years. Everything that goes below can be caused by low-quality materials, poor installation, and poor maintenance.

How to slow down the solar panel degradation rate?

The first thing you have to do is ensure that you only buy high-quality solar panels. This way, you can have an optimal efficiency rate, to begin with.

Next, get professionals or contractors to install your solar panels. Poor wirings, mounting, and other installation elements can significantly affect the efficiency of your solar panels.

The third is your local weather. If you live in an area that mostly experiences weather disturbances such as hurricanes, then your solar panels may degrade faster. 

With this matter in mind, proper maintenance is the key. As we mentioned a while ago, your contractors usually commit to a 15 years warranty, including maintenance and troubleshooting repairs. 

Lastly is personal monitoring. Ideally, you have basic electrical and hardware skills so you can immediately troubleshoot problems with your solar panels. You must keep your solar panels cleaned and well-kept, too.

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