Pigeons cause problems up and down the country, nesting under solar panels and causing damage. Unfortunately, we can guarantee that your installer never mentioned that birds would cause issues with your investment.
We’re here today to tell you that the problem is rife and that homeowners up and down the country are plagued with the issue. If you’re being woken up every morning or worried about the disease and damage pigeons can cause to solar panels, you’re in the right place.
Pest-Tech are Kent’s leading bird proofing solar panels company, completing jobs daily. We’re here to tell you about your options on how to stop pigeons under solar panels and why you should choose a licenced BPCA pest controller rather than any tom, dick or harry offering the service.
Why choose a pest control company to carry out the work?
First, pest control companies like ourselves specialise in bird proofing and bird exclusion. We’re talking about large commercial nets and spiking jobs that require serious skill and training.
Why is this important? Bird exclusion takes time and experience to perform correctly, safely, and legally. In recent times, window cleaners, roofers, and tradespeople have started to offer the service, and many horror stories have surfaced.
For example, when birds have decided to call your solar panels home, they often nest underneath. We’ve visited jobs where chicks have been left under the panels, which is inhumane. A BPCA registered company will understand this and humanely remove all eggs, young, and debris.
Furthermore, we hold a general licence to legally remove birds, and for more extreme cases, can work with Natural England to obtain a licence to remove more protected species.
Overall, if a company is offering to complete the job for £200-£400, you should ask about:
- Their health and safety standards
- The welfare of the birds
- If they have a general licence
- Are they a BPCA member
- Will they damage the warranty of the solar panels
- Will they sanitise and clean all bird guano (poo)
- How they will fix the mesh or alternative product
For more information on how much does it cost to pigeon proofing solar panels visit our detailed article.
How to stop pigeons under solar panels
If you’ve researched enough, you’ll know that there are multiple options to stop birds from nesting under your solar panels. Some of these include:
1. Solar Panel Mesh
Solar panel mesh is the highest quality option you can choose to proof your solar panels. So if you’re looking for the job to be done correctly the first time around, mesh is the best option.
When installed by a professional using the relevant clips, mesh won’t damage your solar panels. However, it is essential to ensure that the mesh won’t be drilled into the panels, as that will destroy your warranty.
It is crucial to install high quality galvanised steel mesh, as once birds are excluded, they will try to push and chew their way back under. If cheap plastic mesh has been used, expect your infestation to reappear.
2. Solar Panel Spikes or Guards
Solar panel spikes, otherwise known as solar panel guards, are adjustable based on your roof tiles. Although spikes are a viable option, they have to be glued with a strong adhesive which always makes us refer back to mesh.
If there are issues with your solar panels in the future and an installer needs to access underneath the panels, removing the solar guards will not be easy and will require them to be reinstalled.
3. Bird Scarers
You may have been recommended to purchase bird scarers for your garden. Bird scarers include owls, hawks, kites, eagles and other options usually available on amazon.
While bird scarers can sometimes help before an infestation occurs, once birds have decided they love your solar panels, they have no chance of moving them on.
So if you’ve seen one or two pigeons and are concerned about it becoming an infestation, sure, give it a go. However, there are no guarantees that it will work, and your best option would be to pigeon proof your panels using one of our alternative methods.
4. Bird Free Gel
Bird free gel is entirely harmless to birds. However, birds see the gel as fire, causing them to avoid landing near the area. It can be used as an effective method to deter pigeons from nesting under solar panels.
Unfortunately, the gel only lasts around two years, so we will not use this as a stand alone method. Instead, we use it in combination with mesh when customers require birds to be quickly moved on from the area.
5. Professional Pest Control Company
Ultimately, your best option to stop pigeons under solar panels is to contact a professional pest control company in your area.
Pest-Tech’s process involves setting up a safe working system to ensure we can access the panels using ladders, boom lifts, rope access or another relevant system.
Next, we begin to remove all nesting material from under the solar panels and ensure no pigeons are trapped. Finally, once we’re happy with the situation, we will start to install our high-quality mesh using solar panel clips.
We finish off each job by ensuring the gutters are flowing freely. As part of our service, we offer to clean out the gutters of any bird waste. This is a free service we provide for customers.
Furthermore, we will never drill into the panels as this will void any warranty you have with the installer.
You can have confidence choosing Pest-Tech, as we’ve completed over 600 jobs for bird proofing solar panels in Maidstone, Kent and the South East. Call us on 01622 296055 or email admin@pest-tech.org to chat through your available options.