Solar panels are a great investment to make. They create green energy, reduce your electric bill, and in some areas you can even get a reimbursement on the solar energy you produce.
The best way to keep your solar panels running for years and decades to come is to protect your investment. One of the main problems solar panel owners encounter is birds, squirrels, and other small critters entering underneath the solar panels and creating nests. These nests pose a fire hazard and the birds and animals leave their droppings all over the panels. Birds can also die flying into the panels.
So, how do you prevent birds from nesting under your solar panels?
If birds are nesting in an area, it is often because there is food and suitable nesting grounds nearby. The first step to prevent birds from nesting under your solar panels is to remove bird food sources.
To remove bird food sources, cover up all open trash containers and remove food strewn on the ground. If there are insect infestations around that you suspect the birds are eating from, be sure to address that as well. It is also a good idea to remove bird feeders and bird baths.
The next step is to block off bird nesting grounds. The way to do this is with bird netting or bird wire mesh. These bird exclusion methods are placed between the solar panels and the ground. They block birds from being able to enter underneath the solar panels and nest in that space.
Properly installed, bird netting or bird wire mesh will block birds from entering under solar panels with 100% effectiveness. These bird control methods will last 20+ years and endure all weather conditions.
If birds are already nesting under your solar panels, it is a different situation than blocking off the panels with bird netting as a preventative measure. In this situation we highly recommend calling in a bird control company to address the problem. In most cases it is illegal to move a live bird nest and the nesting birds may become territorial. Bird nests are also host to disease and possible parasites.
If your solar panels are located on a rooftop or another area with ledges around, an additional protective measure is to install ledge modification devices to prevent birds from perching or roosting. Bird spikes, bird wire, and electric shock tracks can be used to keep birds from perching near the solar panels, reducing the risk they will fly into them or spread droppings on them.
Bird spikes get placed on the sides of ledges to stop birds from being able to perch. Bird wire is strung across a ledge, creating a bouncy surface that birds cannot land in (and is also less visible than bird spikes). Electric shock tracks give off small electric shocks if birds try to land, getting them to find someplace else to land.
The most important thing is to block off the underside of the solar panels with bird netting or bird wire mesh. If you install ledge modification devices nearby without blocking birds from entering underneath the solar panels, birds can still get underneath the panels and nest.
Summary: To prevent birds from nesting under your solar panels, first remove bird food sources like trash containers, bird feeders, and insect infestations. Then block off the underside of your solar panels with bird netting or bird wire mesh to prevent birds from nesting underneath them.
If your panels are located on a rooftop, also consider ledge modification devices like bird spikes, bird wire, or electric shock tracks to further prevent birds from perching near your solar panels.
The most important step in preventing birds from nesting under your solar panels is to block off the underside of your solar panels with bird netting or bird wire mesh, however.
If you’ve been having an extensive bird problem or for longer than six months, or if you just want to talk about bird control options for your property, consider scheduling a free bird control consultation with AviAway. AviAway offers free bird control consultations and can walk you through how to best solve your bird control problem.
