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Solar · Maintenance

How often should a solar PV system be inspected or serviced?

Short answer

Plan a visual check yourself every few months via the app and from the ground, a professional inspection every one to two years, and a fuller electrical service every three to five years, as the Energy Saving Trust suggests. Rented homes in England need an electrical safety inspection at least every five years, which should include the PV circuits.

Last checked 24 September 2026 · 2 sources

In more detail

  • EST (Jan 2026): inspect every 1-2 years; full professional service every 3-5 years; some installers require a service within a set period to keep their warranty valid.
  • England private rented sector: Electrical Safety Standards Regulations 2020 require inspection and testing at intervals of no more than 5 years (or sooner if the report says so). Scotland and Wales have their own 5-yearly rental EICR rules (not re-checked here).
  • A PV-specific inspection normally follows BS EN IEC 62446 test methods: insulation resistance, string open-circuit voltage and current, isolator and connector condition, earthing/bonding, labelling, inverter event logs.
  • The IET Code of Practice for Grid-connected Solar PV Systems (2nd edition) covers operation and maintenance; its recommended interval could not be read (paywalled).
  • MCS: installer must give a maintenance guide with inverter fault signals and basic troubleshooting at handover.

The facts, dated

  1. 01
    England PRS electrical installations must be inspected and tested at intervals of no more than 5 years — 5 years

    regulation · England · checked 24 September 2026 · legislation.gov.uk

  2. 02
    EST: inspect every 1-2 years; full professional service every 3-5 years — 1-2; 3-5 years

    installer_view · UK · checked 24 September 2026 · Energy Saving Trust

What we saw in the field

[QA review 2026-09-24] I-1 CONTRADICTS ('no other routine maintenance'). | Earlier notes: Contradicts installer claim that there is no routine maintenance beyond cleaning: EST and electrical-safety law expect periodic inspection.

Sources

Last checked: 24 September 2026