Bird Proofing Solar Panels

Bird Proofing Solar Panels

Solar panels make an ideal home for all birds, including pigeons and seagulls. They provide shelter from the elements, as well as from the dangers of predators trying to get their eggs and young. Once birds have decided to nest under your solar panels, you have little to no hope of removing them yourself. They are extremely stubborn creatures who will stay until they’re forced to move on. 

Why Should you Bird Proof your Solar Panels?

Birds nesting in your solar panels causes a number of issues. To start they will build a nest; placing plenty of nesting materials like twigs, branches and leaves under your panels. When it rains, this material is washed down into your guttering systems, blocking them as they go causing you drainage problems and potentially leaving you needing a costly repair job.

The next issue is guano, more commonly referred to as bird poo. Not only will it ruin your windows, but bird guano is incredibly dangerous. It causes a slip hazard on the floor below and is the main method of transmission for a number of deadly diseases. Bird poo is also acidic in nature, meaning it can cause structural damage to your property over time, and even to your car’s paintwork parked below. That’s why we offer dedicated bird guano removal services.

As well as guano, bird eggs and even chicks may fall from the nests leaving you with an extraordinarily unpleasant mess to deal with.

Birds also make a lot of noise in the early hours of the morning. They often wake up around 4 am, making noise as they move around and of course their loud bird calls. This sound travels through the roof, and into the home. It is often amplified by empty loft spaces, leading to restless nights and disturbed sleep.

Bird Mites

On top of the problems mentioned above, another issue created by birds under your solar panels is the risk of a bird mite infestation. A bird mite is a parasitic insect that feeds off the blood of a host. They live in bird nests and survive on the blood of the birds until they have the opportunity to enter the home.

Once they’ve made their way inside it can be extremely difficult to identify their presence due to their size. They are incredibly small creatures, roughly the size of a pinhead, so it’s easy to miss them. They are survivalists through and through, and although they prefer the blood of birds, a human or even your pets will do!

You will only notice their presence in your home via itchy bites on your skin, or if you’re lucky enough to spot them with your own eyes. Infestations can quickly get out of hand due to the rate at which they can multiply. Fortunately, here at Pest-Tech Ltd, we offer an effective and fast-acting treatment for controlling bird mites across Kent. If you’ve noticed bites on the skin of you or your family members, then contact our friendly team today for advice and solutions.

Pest-Tech’s Solar Panel Bird Proofing Process

Our first action is to carry out a free survey of your property. During this survey, our team identifies the roof’s accessibility. Any obstacles obstructing access, such as porches and conservatories, can then be considered when planning the treatment. An assessment will also be carried out to establish how we can safely carry out the bird proofing.

During the survey, we will also take a closer look at your solar panels; identifying the make and model to confirm whether to use solar clips or eye clamps during the process. Please note, that we do not drill your solar panels as this would negate their warranty.

With years of experience in bird proofing, we know that every pest problem is unique! Some properties can be accessed with simple ladders, ropes and harnesses; however, more complex properties may require scaffolding or powered platforms in order to complete the job. This will all be established within your free survey, allowing us to provide you with an accurate quote for your treatment.

This could be as simple as ladder access and then working off ropes and a harness or in some cases scaffolding or a powered platform. We establish this at the initial survey and can then produce you a quote. We can carry out a desktop study using photos, to give an estimate of the price, but as mentioned before, we do carry out a visit prior to carrying out the job to confirm the price and method.

If you have any questions on bird proofing solar panels or wish to book a no-obligation quote, then give us a call to discuss your problem today and our friendly team of experts will be on hand to assist you.

Once we have all the information we need from the survey and the treatment plan in place, we can begin the proofing process. First, we remove all birds from under your solar panels to ensure they don’t become trapped in our proofing materials.

We then remove all nesting materials and clean the area before we begin proofing. Once complete we will then fit the bird mesh around the perimeter of your solar panels, ensuring all corners are overlapped and securely in place. While we’re up there, we also remove any nesting materials and bird waste off of the roof and out of your gutters to ensure all bird-related issues are solved.

Take a look at this video below of a recent Solar Panel Bird Proofing job we completed in Maidstone, Kent.

How to Stop Birds Nesting Under Solar Panels

There are a number of methods available to prevent birds from nesting under solar panels, let’s take a look at your options.

Mesh

Steel mesh is a simple, yet incredibly effective solution for bird proofing solar panels as it creates a physical barrier between the perimeter of the panels and your home. Birds like to crawl under the solar panels for warmth and safety, but by placing a barrier in the way we are thereby preventing access to the solar panels for all types of birds.

It’s a pricier option as the mesh is made of steel; however, once fitted correctly it will provide long-lasting protection against birds for years to come. Mesh made from alternative solutions is not as effective. Birds will chew through plastic-based mesh with ease, rendering it completely redundant almost immediately.

More reading: How much does it cost to pigeon proof solar panels

Spikes

Bird spikes are a more affordable option for bird proofing, although their effectiveness is often short-lived. Designed to prevent birds from landing on ledges and windowsills, bird spikes create a barrier similar to mesh. However, birds are incredibly intelligent creatures and have been known to manipulate bird spikes in order to gain access to specific areas.

Once the spikes have been moved by the birds, they are no longer effective. Birds can slip through the gaps in the spikes and continue to nest under your solar panels. Over the previous years, completing solar panel bird proofing jobs, our team have had to remove a number of bird spikes before being able to fit the mesh. Whilst they may be effective, to begin with, bird spikes are not a long term solution for bird proofing your solar panels.

Bird Scarers

The bird control market is saturated with various creative solutions. Think of decoys and bird scarers as scarecrows; often designed to look like predatory birds, decoys scare smaller birds away from particular areas. Scarers come in all shapes and sizes, such as owls, hawks and eagles, and they are a fairly affordable bird proofing solution.

The only issue is that birds are not stupid. Pigeons and seagulls will soon cotton on to the fact that the owl on top of your Kent property never leaves and recognise it as just a fake. Once this occurs, the bird scarer or decoy is no longer effective and will not keep birds away.

Solar Guards

Solar guards are a product created especially for bird proofing your solar panels. Available in 1-metre strips, solar guards also create a physical barrier between your home and your solar panels, thereby preventing access to birds. The main issue with these guards is the application process.

Since drilling into the solar panels is not an option, due to their warranty, the strips must be glued onto the panels using a strong adhesive. This process can get messy quickly, and if they need to be removed it can be extremely difficult. The cost of the guards varies, and while they are effective when installed correctly, the messy process simply isn’t worth it.

With years of experience and over 600 bird proofing solar panel jobs under our belt, we have continuously seen the best results when using mesh. It’s mess-free, extremely long-lasting and most importantly effective at keeping birds out of your solar panels.

Professional Solar Panel Bird Proofing

We’ve seen a number of DIY attempts across Maidstone and Kent as a whole, where people have attempted to birdproof their own solar panels. We strongly advise against attempting to complete this task on your own. Working on a roof can be extremely dangerous and working at height is one of the most common causes of death and injury in the UK. Without the correct equipment and safety procedures in place, you could be putting yourself at serious risk. Plus, any damage you cause to the solar panels and your warranty is nullified.

If you have birds nesting under your solar panels then you need the help of an experienced, and fully-qualified pest control team, like Pest-Tech. Not only will you stay safe and avoid any injuries, but you will also have the confidence that your solar panels will remain bird-free for many years to come.

Contact our friendly team of experts today on 01622 296055 to book a free survey, with no obligations, and get rid of birds under your solar panels for good!