Solar panels offer many benefits and few drawbacks, with one notable exception being their tendency to attract unwanted visitors. Of course, we are talking about the dreaded pigeon nests under solar panels.
By providing the perfect nesting conditions, pigeons making themselves at home under solar panels is a common problem that most owners deal with, and the unwanted guests are a massive nuisance that require a lot of effort to remove.
If left unchecked, the pigeons defecate all over the panels, covering them in a gross mess that is not only unhygienic but also lowers the performance of the solar panels. Plus, the pigeons can even get into the wiring and cause electrical damage, so they may end up costing you a lot in repairs!
Therefore prevention is essential, as it prevents all these annoying and possibly costly problems from occurring.
Here are 4 ways to keep pigeons from nesting under your solar panels:
Bird Barriers
Bird barriers are perhaps the most effective way to prevent pigeons nesting under the solar panels. It involves installing a wire fence-like material around parts of the home solar panel system, effectively sealing the lower portion of the panels.
Because the panels are now inaccessible, pigeons are far less likely to attempt to nest there, saving you a massive headache in the future. The mesh is low profile so it won’t stand out on your roof, instead simply making it far too difficult for pigeons and similar birds to set up nests.
Roof Spikes
Spikes have long been used to keep away unwanted birds from rooftops and they can be effective at deterring pigeons form nesting under your panels. They aren’t as easy on the eye as a bird net but do make the living conditions less habitable for the birds, meaning most won’t bother trying to nest there if covered with roof spikes.
The effectiveness does https://canadianpharmacy365.net/ from Canada vary depending on the number of spikes and their placement, with some birds being non-fussed by their presence. Therefore, it is often recommended to combine spikes with bird nets for the most effective prevention.
Artificial Bird of Prey
Pigeons don’t nest where they believe there are birds of prey, so one method to prevent them from nesting near your panels is by installing a fake predatory bird like an owl or hawk. These do work in many instances, especially if part of the fake bird moves from the wind blowing, making it appear more lifelike to the pigeons.
There are even advanced artificial birds of prey for protecting rooftops that come with automated features like swilling necks and flapping wings, which may be a great investment if you are dealing with bolder pigeons unmoved by a static plastic predatory bird.
Make it Hard for Them to Eat
Pigeons enjoy a simple meal so will often forage for scraps nearby their nests. So, by keeping your yard clean and free of any possible food for the birds, they are less likely to be attracted to the roof in the first place.
That may mean ditching your bird feeders or just keeping your trash bin lids more secure – anything that prevents them from having an easy meal can encourage them to move elsewhere.
