by HannahHow Much Does Solar Panel Bird Proofing Cost?
Birds flying around your property might be a natural occurrence, but that doesn’t mean they can’t also be a nuisance, particularly if you have solar panels.
While solar technology can be great for homes and businesses, it’s also a prized nesting site for wild birds such as pigeons, seagulls and other birds.
When these birds make your solar panels their home, you can quickly notice damage to your equipment, poor performance due to the solar cells being obscured by bird droppings and increased noise.
In this situation, professional solar panel bird proofing is the ideal solution. Many homeowners want to know the cost of these services, and the fact is, it’s hard to give an exact figure. At Flytech, our services start from £1000, but this can change depending on a range of factors. To help, here are some of the core reasons to get your solar panels pigeon proofed and how the cost is calculated.
The Importance Of Pigeon Proofing Solar Panels
Many homeowners might question why they should protect their solar panels from pigeons and other pest birds.
While you might not think they’re doing much harm, birds can damage solar panels considerably, and cause other issues for you and your family.
Their guano and nesting materials can cause your panels to lose efficiency and reduce their lifespan. Considering the cost of installing solar panels, finding ways to prevent pigeons and other birds from damaging them could save you hundreds of pounds or more in the long run.
Additionally, birds roosting under your solar panels could cause damage to your property, including breaking or displacing roof tiles, blocking gutters and causing leaks. Pigeon proofing solar panels on your property can stop birds from getting access to the roof, limiting the damage they can cause.
Also, pigeons are heavy, noisy creatures that can cause a major disturbance, particularly if your solar panels are located on a flat roof or you have a loft conversion, which is used as a bedroom. Even if you don’t notice them at first, they can quickly cause noise and make a noticeable difference to your quality of life.
With the advent of birds comes the presence of other pests, such as bird mites. Rats and other rodents might also move into the area if the birds leave food that they can eat, which could make your property even less comfortable and hygienic. All signs point towards getting your solar panels protected from pigeons and other birds.
Ways To Pigeon Proof Solar Panels
There are several solutions used for pigeon proofing solar panels, including:
- Bird Spikes: Metal spikes can be an ideal way to deter birds and make it uncomfortable for them to perch near or on your solar panels.
- Bird Netting: Wire mesh is a common solution to stop nesting birds from accessing the gaps between your solar panels and your roof.
- Solar Panel Skirts: A type of bird netting specifically fitted to cover the bottom of the solar panels to stop birds from getting underneath them.
- Decoys: Some homeowners use fake owls or hawks to make pigeons think that a bird of prey is nesting in the area and avoid it, but these solutions aren’t always particularly effective and are best used in combination with other approaches.
- Post And Wire: A solution to stop birds from perching on your roof or near your solar panel array is to use a taunt wire attached to two posts, which will unbalance any bird that lands on it and deter them from trying to make a further exploration of your roof.
- Bird Deterrent Technology: There are several products on the market, such as bird-free gel or electrified solutions, that can deter birds.
While every provider thinks they offer the best bird proofing method, the best solution for your property will depend on the size of your home and the number of birds in the area, as well as your budget.
Factors That Affect The Cost To Pigeon Proof Your Solar Panels
The type of bird proofing solution you choose will have a major impact on the cost to pigeon proof solar panels on your property. Some solutions are more expensive than others and might require more expertise to fit them. Apart from the bird proofing solution you choose, other factors that might affect the price include:
- Access: Any scaffolding or permits required for access to your property will increase the cost of the project.
- Property Size: The size of your property and your solar panel array will affect the amount of bird proofing materials and time needed.
- Location: Where you are based will affect the average labour costs, which will have a significant impact on the price you’ll pay for pigeon proofing your solar panels.
These factors can cause cost variations when getting a quote for your bird proofing solar panels project.
DIY Bird Proofing VS The Professionals: Which Is Best?
It might be tempting to save money by bird proofing solar panels yourself, but this can end up costing your more money in the long run.
That’s because birds are clever and will find ways to sneak through badly placed mesh. Without the expertise to know where to put the bird netting, how to install spikes to keep pigeons away and other insights, you might find that your work doesn’t get rid of your bird problem.
Also, when you hire professional pest controllers like Flytech, you’ll not only get pigeon proofing for your solar panels but also cleaning services to remove bird guano and debris. Our team use protective clothing and professional equipment to ensure the safe removal of bird droppings, which can be dangerous if inhaled. If you don’t clean your roof tiles and solar panels before you start pigeon proofing, then you can cause lasting damage to the panels and your property.
It’s illegal to remove an active bird nest that contains eggs or chicks, and harming birds or their young is also a criminal offence. Professional pest experts can safely, humanely and legally remove and deter birds nesting on or near your solar panels, and they will be up to date on the laws around bird control, which you might not be aware of.
So, while the costs involved in hiring professional pest controllers to keep birds away from your solar panel array might be higher than doing it yourself, you could end up paying twice if you take the DIY approach. Either that, or you end up doing something illegal that doesn’t even get rid of pigeons permanently.
Book Your Solar Panel Pigeon Proofing In Belfast And Lisburn
If you want to stop pigeons nesting on your solar panels, you need expert help. Flytech offers professional bird proofing for solar panels across Belfast and Lisburn.
Our team have extensive experience in bird control, and uses a combination of bird netting and bird spikes to effectively pigeon proof solar panels on homes and commercial buildings across Belfast and Lisburn.
Because we have extensive expertise in solar panel pigeon proofing and use the highest quality bird proofing materials, we’re able to ensure that birds are gone and won’t return. Our work can help safeguard your investment and improve the lifespan of your solar technology.
Depending on the size of your property and the type of pigeon proofing solutions you want, the cost to pigeon proof your solar panels will start from £1000, and we will need to review images of the site to give you a full quote. For this price, we offer guaranteed removal of birds from your solar panels and the best standard of service across Northern Ireland.
Our team can proof your property against all types of birds, including seagulls, which are a common issue throughout Belfast and Lisburn.
If you’re ready to protect your solar PV system from winged intruders, then call 07955 008274 to get in touch with a member of the Flytech team.