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Don't let birds ruin your solar panel investment
July 15, 2019
The future is solar
Solar panels are becoming increasingly popular as consumers search for clean, efficient sources of power. While solar power still remains a small portion of overall power consumption in the United States, federal solar power incentives, decreasing costs, and solar panel leasing programs, in combination with a heightened interest in protecting and preserving the environment, have all worked together to make solar power a more-and-more attractive option for residential and commercial property owners. Solar panel arrays are popping up on rooftops across the country and solar technology is becoming evermore sophisticated. It’s not hard to imagine solar power playing a dominant role in the future as the technology grows more efficient and cost effective.
Photography provided by Premier Solar Cleaning
Pests and Your Solar Investment
Amidst all this incredible growth and technological advancement, one very unsophisticated yet troublesome problem continues to plague these ultra-modern systems: critters. Pigeons, squirrels, and other birds and pests can cause significant damage to high-tech solar panel arrays. Solar panels are typically installed with space between the panels and the roof to allow room for necessary wiring and to provide ventilation so that heat doesn’t build up and affect the function of the panels. Small animals love the safety and shelter this small space provides from wind, rain, and the hot sun, but allowing critters unrestricted access to this safe space is not a good idea. Consider the following:
- Birds love to build their nests underneath solar arrays. A mess made up of bird droppings, nesting materials, and even broken eggs and dead chicks collects beneath the panels, reducing air flow and causing heat to build up around the panels.
- This bird mess can eventually flow into your gutters and down the side of your home or building, causing gutter blockages and an unsightly mess. A significant infestation of birds under your panels can block your gutters in less than a week; bird messes happen fast.
- More birds under the panels means more birds on the panels. Bird droppings on the surface of your solar panels reduces their effectiveness and looks terrible. Bird droppings that have baked in the sun on your panels are also extremely difficult to remove and can leave permanent damage behind.
- Squirrels and even some birds chew on the exposed wiring underneath the panels. The broken electrical connections caused by chewed wires will cause your system to run inefficiently, potentially costing you thousands of dollars in unnecessary energy costs, not to mention the cost of repairing the damaged wires.
- Damaged wiring mixed with nesting materials, leaves, and other debris poses a significant fire hazard.
- Families of nesting birds on your roof under your solar panels will wake you up every morning between 3 and 4am. Birds on your roof are a noisy nuisance.
- It’s not just animals that can cause problems in this space; leaves, twigs, and other debris can also collect under your solar panels, trapping heat, washing into gutters, and posing a fire hazard.
Pigeon nest and debris found underneath solar panels. Photography provided by Premier Solar Cleaning.
How do you protect solar panels from animals?
Unprotected solar panel arrays will experience damage from birds and other animals; it’s not a matter of “if”, but rather “when.” If you have a solar power system and you want to avoid costly repairs and cleanup from animal damage, you must take steps to protect your investment. Remember, bird damage happens fast; when birds move in, your panels, wires, roof, and gutters can suffer the consequences in mere days.
Luckily, protecting your solar panels from animals is as simple as installing a Solar Panel Bird Deterrent System from Bird B Gone. The system is simple: wire mesh panels are clipped to the edges of your solar panels with specially designed clips. The strong wire mesh prevents birds, squirrels, and other animals from accessing the space beneath your panels and stops leaves and other debris from accumulating. This Bird Deterrent system is a low-tech solution to your low-tech pest problem, but works perfectly to protect your high-tech investment.
The features of Solar Panel Bird Deterrent System include the following:
- A strong physical barrier that prevents birds and other animals from accessing the space below the panels
- Design features created to protect the integrity of expensive solar panels; clips don’t permeate or scratch panels
- Pre-cut mesh that’s easy to install, plus solutions for curved tiles
- Easy installation; no drilling required
- A clean, virtually invisible look
In a matter of days, your solar panels can be completely protected from critter infestations.
Installation and Photography by Premier Solar Cleaning
Let the professionals do the work
While the system is simple—mesh panels and clips, installation is best left to the professionals. Request an expert installerto install your Solar Panel Bird Deterrent System. Attempting to DIY this project is not a good idea for several reasons. First, the space between the array and the roof needs to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected prior to installation. Critters, especially birds, leave behind a mess that’s not only unsightly, but is potentially toxic. Birds alone carry over 60 different diseases that are transmittable to humans through their waste. Special protective equipment is required to remove the mess safely; do not attempt to clean up this mess on your own. Second, working on the roof is dangerous.
Professional installers have special skills and extensive training in navigating the difficulties of working on roofs. And finally, solar power systems are expensive and complicated; simply shifting a panel accidentally or pulling a wire can damage the system. Don’t risk damaging your system or voiding a warranty by attempting to install a Bird Deterrent System by yourself. Request an expert installer; they’ll safely clean up the mess and install the mesh guards so you can protect your investment.
Contact our experts at Bird B Gone
Don’t wait another minute; take steps today to protect your solar power system from birds and other pests. The experts at Bird B Gone know how to safely and effectively guard your solar array from bird and pest damage. We have the right expertise and the right products to keep your home or business bird free. Call us today to discuss what we can do for you. 866.292.7460
@birdbgone #birdbgone #solarpanel #birddeterrent
Company: Bird-B-Gone, Inc.
Source: https://www.birdbgone.com/blog/dont-let-birds-ruin-your-solar-panel-investment/
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