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ANOKA COUNTY, MN
Solar panel cleaning in Andover, MN
Pure water, a soft solar brush and a cool panel, the way panel makers ask for it.
Andover water averages about 220 PPM of hardness, and those minerals can permanently etch a solar panel if they dry on it. Glass House cleans rooftop and ground-mount arrays with water filtered to 0 PPM, meaning no dissolved minerals at all.
Timing is part of the method: cool water on a sun-heated panel can cause heat shock, a sudden temperature change that damages it permanently. Pollen, dust film and bird droppings all come off with pure water and a soft brush, with no chemicals.
NO-SCRATCH, SPOT-FREE FINISH GUARANTEE
Pure-water cleaning is designed to leave your panels free of wash-process spots and scratches.
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Insured to $2M
Owner-operated
Based in Ham Lake
ANDOVER SPECIFICS
What solar panel cleaning means in Andover
The local conditions that shape how Glass House approaches solar panel cleaning in Andover, and the standards it holds to on every visit.
WATER
About 220 PPM, with summer iron
Andover's water averages about 220 PPM (parts per million) of hardness, above the 180 PPM level the USGS calls very hard. Its 2002 plant removes iron and manganese, but at peak summer demand untreated wells run and put both back into the system. When that water dries on a house, calcium stays behind as white spots on glass, and iron and manganese oxidize into orange and brown stains on siding, brick and concrete. Irrigation spotting from water that hard comes off, provided it has not etched the glass.
WATERING
Odd/even watering, May through August
Andover homes on city water follow an odd/even schedule by house number from May 1 through August 31, with no watering at any address from noon to 6 p.m. Every cycle that reaches the house leaves another thin layer of minerals where the spray dries, so a sprinkler head aimed at siding, glass or the driveway builds white spots and orange stains in the same place all summer. Keep sprinkler spray off ground-mount arrays; every cycle leaves minerals on the glass.
TREES
Oaks on the Anoka Sand Plain
Andover sits on the Anoka Sand Plain, where northern pin oak and bur oak are the most common oaks and the city calls oak wilt a serious problem. Emerald ash borer was first found here in 2016. Oak shade keeps roofs and siding damp, which algae and moss need, and oak leaves and catkins fill gutters each year. Ash killed by the borer turns brittle and drops limbs onto roofs and into gutters. Trees shed pollen and debris onto panels through spring and summer.
WATER NEARBY
The Rum River and Crooked Lake
The Rum River forms Andover's western edge, Coon Creek runs through the city, and Crooked Lake lies on the Coon Rapids line. Kelsey Round Lake Park is also in Andover. Air near rivers, creeks and lakes holds more moisture, so roofs, siding and decks dry slowly after rain and dew. Algae, mildew and moss take hold on surfaces that stay damp, usually starting on the shaded north side. Arrays near water collect more film and bird droppings over the season.
Sources: City of Andover, Water Department; USGS, Hardness of Water; City of Andover, Watering Restriction Policy and Water Department; City of Andover, Oak Wilt; City of Andover, Emerald Ash Borer; City of Andover, Natural Resources and About Andover; Minnesota DNR, Crooked Lake.
HOW WE CLEAN PANELS
Pure water, soft brushes, top to bottom
Every array is cleaned the same way, in the same order. What sets the method apart is the water and the brush.
WHY NEVER TAP OR HOSE WATER
Water with minerals in it permanently etches a panel, the same way it etches glass. Tap water, hose water and well water all carry those minerals, so nothing touches your panels but 0 PPM water.
01
A quick walk-around first
Every job starts with a look at the array. Carson notes cracks, existing scratches, failed seals and any hard debris before cleaning begins, flags anything that concerns him, and confirms how the panels are reached, from the ground or from the roof.
02
Filter the water to zero
The van carries three reverse osmosis filters, a carbon filter and a deionization filter, which together strip the minerals out of the water. A meter shows what is coming in and what is going out, and the work waits until the water reads 0 PPM.
03
Scrub gently with a solar brush
A brush head made specifically for solar panels goes on the carbon fiber pole, and each panel is scrubbed gently with pure water and no chemicals. The brush loosens pollen, dust film and droppings without scratching the glass.
04
Rinse top to bottom
Pure water rinses each panel from the top edge down, so the loosened pollen, dust and droppings come all the way off instead of settling lower on the glass.
05
Dry spot-free
With no minerals in the rinse water, the panels dry clean and streak-free on their own, with no towels and no wiping. There is nothing in the water to leave a spot behind, which is the whole reason for filtering it to zero.
FOR ANDOVER HOMES
What to know before your visit
BEFORE WE COME
Outside spigot on
The filters in the van connect to your outside spigot, so it needs to be on and reachable rather than shut off at the inside valve.
OUTPUT
No promised number
We do not put a number on the power gained after a cleaning, because it depends on the system and on how dirty the panels were.
AT HOME
Kids and pets welcome
Kids and pets are welcome at home during the visit. We ask only that they are not underfoot while the work is underway.
WEATHER
Rescheduling is free
If heat or storms change the plan, rescheduling for weather is always free and never counts as a cancellation.
HOW PRICING WORKS
Quoted for your array, confirmed first
YOUR SOLAR CLEANING AT A GLANCE
QUOTE FIRST
Solar panel cleaning
Quoted
Rooftop or ground-mount, pure water and solar brushes
No-Scratch, Spot-Free Finish Guarantee
Included
Free of wash-process spots and scratches
Satisfaction Guarantee
Included
If the result is not right, we make it right
Walk-around first
Included
Every online quote is verified in person
Builders and commercial sites
In person
Quoted in person by Carson
Available May through September
Quote first
Solar panel cleaning is quoted after Carson sees your array and how it is reached, and you will have the exact price before any work starts. Booking three projects together, such as solar, windows and gutters, saves 10%.
THE OWNER
The person who quotes your home does the work
Glass House is owned and run by Carson Brenny, with no crews, subcontractors or handoffs. He grew up in Ham Lake, went to Blaine High School and has worked full-time in exterior cleaning for six years. The person who quotes your home is the person who arrives, does the work and walks it with you at the end.
Every job receives the gentlest method that will do the work, because too much force or too strong a mix can cause damage that no cleaning undoes. Every homeowner receives a clear explanation of what is on the house, why the method was chosen and what cleaning can and cannot fix, before any money is spent.
IN CARSON'S WORDS
“It's my neighbors' homes: their biggest investment, one of the places they spend the most time, and where the people they care about most live. It's something everyone should enjoy, and I believe that.”
Carson Brenny, owner
WHAT IS INCLUDED
What solar cleaning includes, and what it does not
Pure water, a soft solar brush and a cool panel. This is what that covers, and what we leave alone.
INCLUDED
In every solar cleaning
• A walk-around noting cracks, scratches and failed seals first
• Pollen, dust, cottonwood and bird droppings lifted
• Rooftop and ground-mount residential arrays
• Cleaned on a cool panel: early morning or an overcast day
• 0 PPM water and a solar brush, with no chemicals
• Our Satisfaction and No-Scratch, Spot-Free Finish Guarantees
NOT INCLUDED
What we leave alone
• Hard or construction debris, a scratch risk to your panels
• Existing scratches, cracks and failed seals
• Mounting, manufacturer defects and output problems
• Tap water, hose water or chemicals on your panels, ever
EQUIPMENT AND METHODS
The method panel makers ask for
The same van-mounted reverse osmosis, carbon and deionization filters we use on glass, run until the water reads 0 PPM, feed a brush made only for solar panels on our carbon fiber pole. Each panel is scrubbed gently and rinsed top to bottom so it dries streak-free. Work is scheduled early in the day or under cloud cover, so the water only ever meets a cool panel.
ANDOVER QUESTIONS
Solar Panel Cleaning in Andover: FAQ
When do you clean solar panels in Andover?
Solar cleaning runs May through September. Each visit is booked for an early morning or an overcast day, when the panels are cool, because the rule is a cool panel rather than a time on the clock. A cloudy afternoon works, and a sunny one does not.
Do you serve all of Andover?
Yes, every neighborhood in Andover. Glass House is based in Ham Lake, and Andover is part of its regular north metro service area, so there is no trip fee. Carson quotes, cleans and walks every job himself, wherever in Andover your home is.
How do you clean solar panels?
With pure 0 PPM water and brushes made specifically for solar panels. Each panel is scrubbed gently, then rinsed from top to bottom with pure water, so it dries spot-free with no towels. No soaps or chemicals are used, and the work is done only when the panels are cool.
Will cleaning affect my panel warranty?
Our method is the one manufacturers ask for: pure water and dedicated solar brushes, with no pressure, abrasives or chemicals. Glass House follows it to the letter, specifically so your warranty stays protected. Ignoring the manufacturer's cleaning instructions is what puts a panel warranty at risk.
How often should solar panels be cleaned?
Twice a year works well for most homes, for example once in early summer after pollen and cottonwood season and once in September. It is best treated as regular maintenance rather than waiting until the panels look distressed.
Can you remove hard or construction debris from panels?
No. Hard debris and construction debris are not removed from solar panels, because of the risk of scratching the glass and the liability that comes with it. Carson points it out during the walk-around so you know it is there before the cleaning begins.
