Living in Cowan Heights means space, views, and sun. It also means your solar panels are working hard—unless they’re not. Between the oak trees, wind gusts, and hillside dust, this part of North Tustin collects grime faster than most people think. That grime builds up and quietly slows your system down. We see it all the time.
We cleaned a home off Skyline Drive a few weeks back. The owner thought their panels were “self-cleaning” because they’d installed the anti-dust coating. But we found light sap, pollen, and ash buildup covering almost every panel. No cracks. No hardware issues. Just debris. After the cleaning, their production jumped 18%. That’s real savings just sitting on the roof doing nothing.
What Makes Cowan Heights a Dirt Magnet?
Cowan’s unique. You’ve got elevation. You’ve got trees. You’ve got big yards and open hills. And the wind moves everything—dust, ash, pollen—from nearby canyons straight onto rooftops. That includes your solar system.
Homes off Cowan Heights Road, Orange Hill, or near Foothill have wide exposure to the sun but also to the elements. That’s why even clean-looking panels are usually dirty up close. Most homeowners can’t see it from the ground, but the buildup is there.
What That Buildup Actually Does
Solar panels work when light hits the cells. A layer of pollen, dust, or sap—even a thin one—blocks that light. The panel still works, but not at full power. And when it happens across 20 or 30 panels? That’s a big hit to your production.
Some people lose 15 to 30 percent of their system’s efficiency without even noticing. If your electric bill used to be lower, and now it’s not, this might be why.
How Often Should Cowan Heights Panels Be Cleaned?
Twice a year at a minimum. Once in the spring after the trees drop their pollen, and once in the fall after Santa Ana winds. If you’re on a hilltop or your home backs up to open space, you might want three times a year.
Rain won’t help much. In fact, it usually leaves hard water spots and just spreads dirt around. We’ve cleaned panels after storms where the rain actually made things worse.
What Our Cleaning Process Looks Like
- We use solar-safe brushes designed to clean without scratching
- Deionized water that leaves zero streaks or mineral spots
- No pressure washing or soap that could mess with coatings
- Before and after photos so you can see the difference
We’re up on ladders every day, so we’ve seen every roof type Cowan Heights has to offer. Spanish tile, composite shingle, flat membrane—we clean them all. And we take care not to damage any landscaping or roofing material while we’re at it.
We Know the Area
We’ve worked all over Cowan Heights and nearby neighborhoods like Lemon Heights and Panorama Heights. Homes off Barrett Lane, La Verada, and Cowan Heights Drive each have different setups, but the goal is always the same: get the grime off so your system can breathe again.
We’ll never over-promise. If your panels are mostly clear and don’t need service, we’ll tell you. If they’re blocked and costing you power, we’ll show you exactly what we found and how much better they look after.
HOAs and Gated Communities
Some Cowan Heights homes are part of private HOAs or community associations. We’re familiar with how those work. We’ll provide insurance certificates, follow noise restrictions, and notify your HOA if needed. You don’t have to do anything extra—just let us know the rules and we’ll follow them.
Big Roofs, Steep Angles, or Split Systems?
Some Cowan Heights homes have multi-surface solar arrays—panels across a main house, ADU, or detached garage. No problem. We’ll ask how your system’s laid out and quote accordingly. If access is tricky, we’ll bring the gear to do it safely.
We’ve worked on systems as small as 12 panels and as big as 60. Each one gets treated the same. No rushing. No half-done jobs. We clean it right or we don’t leave.
Real Story: One From Over Near Salt Air Drive
This homeowner called because his system had dropped nearly 25 percent in performance since winter. He thought the panels might be failing. But when we got on the roof, they were blanketed in pollen and light ash from a nearby brush burn a few weeks earlier. We cleaned it all with our deionized setup and got him back up to full output.
He signed up for reminders so now we see him twice a year. Simple. Easy. Keeps his bills low.
Can You Clean Panels Yourself?
You can try—but be careful. We’ve had homeowners use window cleaner or hose water and end up with streaks and scratches. One guy near East Lemon tried to clean with a long-handled squeegee and ended up chipping a tile and leaving mineral spots all over the glass.
Unless you’ve got the right equipment and know how to safely get on your roof, it’s easier and safer to let us handle it. We’ve already done this hundreds of times across the hills. Let us take the risk off your plate.
What You Get With BJ’s Window Cleaning
- Flat pricing with no surprises
- On-time arrival from a local crew who knows the area
- Before and after photos so you know it’s worth it
- Polite, respectful service—no dragging hoses, no mess
- Optional reminders when it’s time for the next clean
You don’t need to be home for us to work. As long as there’s safe access to the roof, we can take care of it while you’re out. Just leave gate instructions and we’ll keep you updated by text.
When Should You Clean?
If you haven’t had a cleaning in 6 months or more, chances are your panels are underperforming. If your system’s output looks lower than usual or your energy bill is creeping up, now’s the time. Wind, pollen, and wildfire dust don’t go away on their own.
And if you’ve had a weather event—Santa Ana winds, a fire nearby, a long dry spell—your panels need help. That grime isn’t going anywhere unless someone gets up there and clears it out.
Let’s Get You Scheduled
Reach out now and we’ll get you a fast quote. Just tell us your address, panel count, and roof style. We’ll give you a flat price and a quick turnaround. No hard sell. No weird upsells. Just honest work that brings your system back to full strength.
Let your panels breathe again. We’ll clean them up and get them producing like they should.