Each replacement is different, therefore a different cost. The price depends on a few key factors which include, the size of the inverter (inverter KW rating), location, wiring requirements of the new inverter and the type of DC isolators.

Its recommended you have your solar system checked and inspected on a annual basis, its important to regularly check the DC rooftop isolators to ensure there is no water ingress. These can become a fire risk if they are in poor condition.

First, the good news: solar panels and related infrastructure are very reliable due to the total lack of moving parts and you can expect decades - yes, decades - of quality life out of them as long as they are properly maintained.

And now for the even better news: even if your solar panels are on the blink, they can definitely be repaired.

The most common problem is simply breakage - like someone hitting a cricket ball for 'six'. If you can get to the repair before the moisture finds its way in, it can probably be fixed. The next most common repair is for damaged or corroded wiring, but even complex problems like PID (potential induced degradation) can be addressed by calling a fully licensed and highly experienced solar panel repair technician.

Solar panels are an outstanding long-term investment due to high reliability and the mammoth potential for energy savings - but that doesn't mean they don't sometimes go wrong or need some professional attention.

The easiest way to ensure your panels keep working is by catching a problem at its earliest stage. These include:

• Low power output
• Unexpected shutdowns
• Small cracks
• Corroding wiring
• Dirty/debris
• Burn marks.

Luckily, the lack of moving parts makes solar panels incredibly unreliable, but ignoring the aforementioned warning signs leaves you wide open for a host of potentially terminal problems including:

• Delamination
• Electrical/wiring issues
• Hot spots
• The PID effect
• Inverter failure.

The best way to stay on top of your solar panel investment is by getting a full and complete solar power system inspection every year.

The simple answer is that it's entirely reasonable to expect your solar panels to last 25 years - or even more. A general guide is to look at the average length of warranties, which in Australia is 25 years for performance and at least a decade in terms of associated technologies.

The slightly more complex answer is that your panel array longevity depends on a few other factors - the first being the basic quality of the panels and the reputation of the product manufacturers. But arguably even more important is a strict adherence to the recommended solar panel cleaning, solar maintenance and inspection schedule.

Actually, the answer is clearly no. But don't take that as bad news, because for your routine household maintenance, simply give your solar panels a good spray with the garden hose - and put the importance of a full and thorough clean in the hands of a trained and qualified expert with all the best solar panel cleaning equipment.

For the rest, the rain clouds are effective enough at keeping your solar panels clean enough between garden hose and professional clean sessions. Pressure hoses and washers may seem like a great idea, but those thousands of PSI of water pressure may find their way under the surface or through micro-cracks and into the cells themselves - and the outcome will not be good! Also steer clear of hard-bristle brushes and harsh chemical cleaning products.

If you ask the experts, they'll basically agree about the shortlist for the title of 'best solar inverter brand in Australia'. Remember, while it's your solar panels that will be collecting the sun's clean and totally free energy, it's the inverter that is the heart of the system that turns it into useable electricity at the power point.

Among the very best solar inverter brands in Australia are:

• Fronius
• Enphase
• Sungrow
• SolarEdge
• SMA
• Fimer
• Growatt

While there are plenty of other perfectly reasonable solar inverter brands on the growing competitive Australian market to choose from, the ones listed above are consistently rated the highest in terms of warranty, maximum efficiency and reliability.

You should be giving your solar panels a gentle spray with your garden hose at least every 3-6 months, although heavy rains will also do the job for you. Apart from that, consider getting your solar panels professionally cleaned at least every year as panel cleanliness is the most significant factor when it comes to solar system performance and longevity.

And there's plenty the garden hose won't get off, including bird droppings and really rusted-on grime. Remember, your solar panel system's efficiency is based on an unobstructed relationship between solar cell and the sun, and that apparently innocent layer of grime can quickly reduce performance by 50% and also exacerbate small issues that could in time become terminal.