Los Angeles Real Estate Report

Key Takeaways

• →Dirty solar panels lose 20-25% of their energy output after just six months in urban areas, and up to 30% in desert environments with sand and debris, according to Landon Lobb of So Shiny.
• →John Barrentine's solar installation cost $35,000 in 2019 including panels, installation, and a new roof, with a 30% federal rebate available at that time—the system reached break-even at five years.
• →With clean, maintained solar panels, Barrentine's power bill averages $40 per month total (about $15 plus grid connection fees), compared to typical Los Angeles electric bills that continue rising annually.
• →Professional solar panel cleaning should be done at least twice per year in Southern California, with cleaning costs of a few hundred dollars offset by the 20-25% efficiency gain.
• →Birds and squirrels frequently nest underneath solar panels, and their droppings erode roofing material—inspections during cleaning can prevent roof leaks within a year or two of infestation.
• →Hand washing with eco-friendly detergents is superior to power washing solar panels, as abrasive soaps and high pressure can wear down the fragile photovoltaic surface over time and reduce panel lifespan.
• →Most homeowners treat solar panels as 'set it and forget it,' but regular maintenance is essential for maximizing both energy output and return on investment over the system's 20-25 year lifespan.

The Solar Panel Investment That Actually Paid Off

We popped these solar panels on the roof of our house about five years ago, and we have felt like geniuses ever since. It's made the biggest difference in our domestic life. We have saved so much money. Back in 2019, it cost us $35,000 for all of the panels, the installation, and a brand spanking new roof in addition to that. Then we got a 30% rebate at that time, which brought the net cost down considerably.

About five years was the break-even point when they did the initial survey, and we hit that mark right on schedule. Now we're in the black on it, and the savings just keep compounding. Our power bill is about $15 a month, plus our connection fee to the grid. So it averages, over a year's time, about $40 a month. Some months, it's even less than that, especially during the winter months when we don't have as much beautiful light.

What I tell people is that this is the only way to control costs on a monthly basis with power. Power rates are gonna continue to go up—they just are. There's no stopping that. So the only way to hedge against that reality is to create your own fixed costs. We locked in our energy costs five years ago, and while everyone else's electric bills keep climbing, ours stays at $40 a month. That's an amazing savings, and after five years, it's even greater because we've gotten our investment back and everything from here on out is pure profit.

What We Learned About Solar Panel Maintenance

Here's what nobody tells you when you install solar panels: it's not a set it and forget it thing. Most people pop solar panels on their roof and then they don't do anything. They just think, oh, well, that's it, right? We thought the same thing initially. But we quickly discovered that without regular maintenance, you're leaving a huge amount of efficiency—and money—on the table.

We can watch our system on our monitoring app, and we get about a 20 to 25% increase in output after the panels are cleaned. We clean them about every six months, and we keep them pretty clean anyway, but after about six months, they're covered in soot. We're in the city. We had the fires last year, and the panels were absolutely filthy when we cleaned them before. The output went up about 25% immediately.

What we used to do—and it was a huge pain in the butt—was get the ladder out from behind the garage, find a way to get the hose from down there to up here, and then somebody had to be up on the roof scrubbing with a special squeegee thing we ordered. We just didn't do it as often as we needed to because it wasn't easy and it wasn't convenient. Now we have Landon from So Shiny come out twice a year. He's licensed, bonded, and insured, he hand washes everything with eco-friendly materials, and he inspects underneath for bird nests and roof damage while he's up there. Spending a few hundred dollars with him is completely offset by the efficiency gain we get from clean panels. It's one of the smartest maintenance decisions we've made.

Why Hand Washing Solar Panels Matters

When Landon Lobb of So Shiny explained his approach to solar panel maintenance, the methodology made perfect sense. He doesn't come with a big power washer or spray machine like a lot of companies do. He does it all 100% hand wash. His reasoning? He attributes a good solar panel almost like a classic car's paint job. The last thing you want to do is take that to a car wash—you want that hand washed.

You spent tens of thousands of dollars for these panels. So why would you expose them to something that isn't the right material, the right detergent, the right kind of brush? Too many companies come out with power washers and use abrasive soap that inevitably, over time, wear down your solar panels' surface. The last thing you want is anything to damage the top of that surface, because it is such a fragile photovoltaic layer.

Landon uses very minimal, 100% eco-friendly detergents and takes his time with each panel. But here's the other critical benefit: when he's up there cleaning, he's also inspecting all around the panels—what's underneath, if there's any birds, if there's any squirrels. Birds get under all the time and build nests. What comes with that is a lot of bird guano, and that erodes the roof. Oftentimes in a matter of a year or so, you can find different spots in your roof where you're gonna have wet spots and eventual leaks.

The return on investment is incredible. You prolong the life of your cells, you prolong the life of your roof, you shorten the amount of time you're spending to recoup the money you spent on the solar panels themselves. It's just such a no-brainer to get someone on your roof twice a year, clean those solar panels properly, improve your energy efficiency, and increase your return on investment.

Finding the Right Solar Panel Maintenance Professional

We know Landon because he's a restaurateur and a stuntman—you've seen this man before jumping off horses and buildings in shows and movies, you just didn't know it was him. When the SAG strikes created a downtick in stunt work, he realized he needed another avenue to make money. He has family in Arizona who've been in the solar business for a long time, and speaking with them, he realized there's a niche business to be had with cleaning solar panels.

What makes Landon perfect for this work is that he loves heights—he's jumped off many buildings professionally—and he doesn't mind climbing ladders. That's one of the biggest deterrents for homeowners trying to maintain their own solar panels, and it should be a deterrent. Not everyone has any business getting on a ladder and climbing on their roof. Safety matters enormously.

When we recommend resources to our clients, we look for people who are licensed, bonded, and insured. That's first and foremost. The last thing anyone wants is someone to come to their house and be unprepared, especially when they're getting on the roof. Landon provides before and after photos—not just of the solar panels, but of the entire roof. He spots problems early, whether it's debris accumulation, bird nesting, or roofing material that needs attention.

Landon is one of the vendors we love to have in our stable of service providers. He's also become a good friend. And honestly, how many people can say their solar panel guy is also the guy they've watched in countless TV shows and movies? It's just another example of the caliber of professionals we connect our clients with—people who bring expertise, passion, and real care to the work they do.

Chuck Marquardt’s Perspective

“When buyers walk through a home with solar, the first question is always 'what's the power bill?' When the answer is a month, that stops the conversation cold — in the best way. In the LA market right now, a maintained solar system is a genuine selling point. It's a fixed cost in a world where utility rates only go one direction.”

Solar Panel Investment Breakdown — Los Angeles

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