Bangor Cleaning Company Says Dirty Solar Panels Lose 25% Output

Streak Free Solutions, a locally owned window-washing company based in Bangor, Maine, said on its website that dirty solar panels can lose up to 25% efficiency, and that its panel-cleaning service is meant to help homeowners recover that lost output.

Screens, Tracks And Storm Windows

The company's core service is residential window washing, cleaning glass inside and out by hand and offering hard-water-stain removal and multi-story cleaning, according to its website. It pairs that with window screen and track cleaning, which it said removes dust, pollen and pet dander that would otherwise transfer back onto freshly washed glass, and clears debris from window tracks so windows open and close properly.

The company said many houses in Bangor, Brewer and Old Town that date back decades still carry aluminum combination storm windows mounted over the original wood sashes, where grit settles in the narrow channel between the storm and the window. Hermon and Hampden, by contrast, have newer vinyl-window stock, the company said, where tilt-in sashes rely on sill tracks with weep holes that must stay open for rainwater to drain properly. The company recommends window cleaning at least twice a year, with spring and fall as the preferred times.

Gutters, Storefronts And Solar Panels

Beyond windows, the company's listed services include gutter cleaning, described as debris removal and downspout flushing meant to prevent water damage, ice dams and foundation problems, and commercial cleaning for storefronts, offices and multi-unit buildings, according to its website. Streak Free Solutions also offers solar panel cleaning aimed at homeowners whose panel output has dropped from accumulated grime.

The company said it uses eco-friendly cleaning solutions and quotes every job based on the home's number of windows and screens, the window types involved, and how long it has been since the last cleaning.

Eight Towns In Greater Bangor

Streak Free Solutions lists Bangor, Brewer, Orono, Old Town, Hampden, Hermon, Veazie and Orrington as its service area, according to its website, and operates out of Bangor with hours it lists as Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

More about the company at mainewindowwashing.com.