Wednesday, 18 March 2020
Pigeons and other birds will shelter and nest under solar panels.
They are attracted to sheltered places to get protection from the sun whilst having a high place to perch and then will use the space under the panels to build a nest.
Regular visits from birds create a mess on top of the panels, reducing their efficiency. However a more serious issue is the accumulation of nesting material and droppings underneath the panels.
Their droppings are corrosive. There is also a serious risk of increased electrolysis between different metals: the aluminium solar panels, stainless steel bolts and the metal of the roof sheeting. This occurs because the debris retains moisture and also forms a bridge that can bypass the insulators and fittings that are installed to prevent electrolysis.
On both metal and tiled roofs, the accumulated nest debris and droppings will also attract insects such as beetles and cockroaches to breed on your roof (and then enter the house). Eventually gutters and drains will be blocked and corroded, allowing water to leak and overflow from the gutters.
If birds on solar panels are allowed to successfully rear their young, even more birds will come back to the same building in the following breeding season.
Possum Proofing Solar Panels
Possums view solar panels as excellent areas to shelter and will often nest underneath. They are attracted to the panels as they provide a safe, sheltered location and will happily live and nest in such places on top of the roof. Unfortunately they are guaranteed to make a mess under the panels and can often chew the wires leading to safety hazards for your family and expensive repair bills.
A pest control specialist will use a reliable, quality proofing method of excluding the possums from under the panels. This proofing product is stainless steel black UV coated wire mesh with UV stable nylon retainer hooks and washers. It clips onto the panels so you can remove a section for servicing if required, and it does not screw into the panels so does not void your panel warranty. This product also allows excellent water and airflow under the panels to avoid heat build-up.
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Possum nests will be removed before the mesh is fitted and if there is significant mess created by possums or birds. Pest controllers will usually provide a quote to pressure wash the roof before the solar panel proofing is installed.
How Pest Control Specialists Can Help
Overall it is better to be pro-active: exclude the birds and possums from getting under the panels and reduce the tendency for them to stay on your roof. Hire a team of people experienced in proofing solar panels to get rid of pigeons and possums using their proven proofing product. In the longer run it is much cheaper to exclude the unwanted visitors as that reduces future maintenance costs and ensures that the efficiency of power conversion from the sun is not reduced.
Experienced, registered pest controllers will be able to combine this solar panel proofing with legal chemical treatments to get rid of pigeons and reduce the bird numbers, if needed.
***If you are a tenant, you need the owner’s permission to conduct any proofing work at the property, as it is structural work on the house. Make sure the owner is aware of the issue and they request the inspection from the pest controller directly.
Source: https://www.possumman.com.au/
