Solar panel ownership is an expensive investment, and upkeep is required to assure long-term advantages. Bird droppings have a bigger impact on a panel’s performance than dust buildup. Over time, this results in bird droppings and detritus, which are messy to clean up and dangerous. Therefore, it can be necessary to perform monthly or yearly gutter cleaning and bird proofing.
You may have to spend between $200 and $1000 to have your panels pigeon-proofed. However, the price may increase based on the number of solar panels in your system, the slope of your roof, the height of your roof, and whether or not nests or birds need to be removed before installation.
In this article, we will explore the cost and options associated with bird-proofing your solar panels, so let us dive in.
Why are solar panels so appealing to birds?
If you do not take the required safeguards, birds can be one of the largest challenges for someone who owns solar panels and can be quite frustrating to deal with. But why do birds particularly enjoy perching on and building nests on solar panels?
After conducting years of research on this subject, scientists at Bird-B-Gone have come up with three key explanations for why solar panels attract birds in such large numbers.
#1 Warm Habitat for Birds
The first and most evident benefit of solar panels for birds is that they offer a cozy, warm habitat. To maximize photovoltaic energy absorption, solar panels are dark, and this dark tint has a higher propensity to heat up and keep its warmth. Solar panels frequently make the ideal bird nesting sites because birds are constantly looking for warm, quiet places to rest and build their nests.
#2 Safety
This introduces the second justification, safety. Birds require a protected area to raise their young, rest, and keep away from predators, much like every other animal in the world. Birds can nest safely inside gaps in solar panels that are frequently large enough for them to fit through.
In addition to providing safety from predators, solar panel shade allows birds to adjust their body temperature and escape the heat during the hot summer months.
#3 Easy movement
The last reason why birds adore solar panels is that it makes it simple for them to enter and exit their roost. The majority of solar panels are roof-mounted, offering birds great viewing angles and 360-degree movement away from their nests in case they end up the prey of a predator.
A nest’s accessibility and ease of access are of the utmost importance to the birds, along with its safety and security. Let us move on to what you can do to bird-proof your solar panels and how much it will cost now that we understand why birds are attracted to them in the first place.
How can protecting solar panels from pigeons help?
The installation of bird netting around the perimeter of your solar panels is referred to as pigeon-proofing. This aids in preventing birds from nesting on your roof by creating a barrier that keeps them from getting below your panels. Following are some points why pigeon-proofing is very useful:
Pigeons that are nesting may cause issues
Although pigeons may appear to be harmless birds to have nesting beneath your solar panels, they can actually be quite harmful to both your solar system and your health.
Pests, Diseases, and Poop
Pigeons make a lot of noise, but they also frequently have mites, lice, and fleas on them. Pigeon droppings can also include dangerous pathogens, including E. coli, salmonella, cryptococcosis, histoplasmosis, and toxoplasmosis, in addition to these pests.
Fire Risk
Pigeons will construct their nest under your solar panels using sticks and other things that could start a fire. The cable connecting your solar panels carries live energy, so if it is altered in any way, the nests therein could catch fire and put your home in danger.
Flooding by Water
Pigeon nests beneath solar panels can become so congested that rain cannot travel through them, adding to the risk of fire. Your panels and their wiring risk flooding if this happens. Power outages and the repair of any panels damaged by the water as a result would occur.
Options and Costs for Bird-Proofing Solar Panels
As with any problem, there are numerous ways to try to stop birds from using your solar panels as their own private dwelling, but we have identified the two finest solutions and one additional deterrent for you to select from to help bird-proof your solar panels at a reasonably low cost.
These methods are centered on being both affordable and as beneficial to bird-proofing your solar panels as they can be.
#1 Bird Spikes
Your first choice is to place bird spikes over the exposed sections of your roof. With their squishy feet, birds are very sensitive to rough surfaces; thus, adding bird spikes will make it much harder to find a comfortable resting location. Additionally, these spikes greatly reduce the amount of open area on your roof, reducing the amount of roof left for bird habitats and nesting sites.
The Cost Of Bird Spikes
Roof spikes are quite affordable; 3-foot lengths may be purchased for less than $15. Bird proofing your solar panels would cost about $200 for a typical roof. However, these are not the most appealing, and we would not be at all surprised if you preferred not to have spikes on your roof. There are more solutions, so don’t worry.
Related: Why You Shouldn’t Pressure Wash Solar Panels?
#2 Metal Or Net Mesh
The bird net/metal mesh netting is our next suggestion. This net would essentially lie over your solar panels and keep birds from landing on them or crawling underneath them. This is superior to the bird spikes method in that it completely stops the birds from accessing the panels, but there is a cost associated with it in the form of more frequent maintenance.
These can shred or break, requiring a patch to repair them or allowing access to your panels without you ever realizing there was a problem. Although it is more expensive, in my opinion, this is a better and more long-lasting option than bird spikes.
The Cost Of Metal Or Net Mesh
To completely secure your roof with these nets, budget upwards of $300–500.
#3 Predator Replica
This remedy entails placing a predator statue replica on your roof. Even though it might sound absurd, studies have shown that installing a fake predator, such as an owl, on your roof greatly improves bird deterrents.
These statues deter birds by acting like scarecrows in a cornfield. While having a replica predator alone might not be very effective because birds can detect a false owl fairly fast, when combined with other deterrents that heighten the birds’ uncertainty, it can undoubtedly make a difference.
The Cost Of Predator Replica
Replica predators are really affordable; they just cost $20–30. The cheapest, simplest, and least effective choice is unquestionably this one.
The Best Way to Protect Your Solar Panel from Birds
If you want to protect your solar panels from birds, we think that the mesh netting option is your best bet out of these three. Although they cost a little more than bird spikes, they are significantly more attractive, safer for the birds, and more successful at keeping the birds away from your solar panels. They completely block off access to your solar panels’ undersides and devalue the landing sites.
Related: How Often Should Solar Panels Be Cleaned?
FAQs
What do bird-proofing solar panels cost?
It will typically cost between $200 and $500 to bird-proof solar panels, depending on the deterrent strategy you use. Of course, the size of your roof and the number of solar panels you have also affect this price. If you are looking to hire a professional, the cost could even sum up to $1,000.
Can solar energy frighten off birds?
Unfortunately, no, which is why it’s crucial to bird-proof your solar panels before they appear and begin constructing nests in the roof’s crevices.
Will pigeon-proofing solar panels void my warranty?
If you install pigeon-proofing, your solar panel warranty won’t be voided. In fact, by adding pigeon-proofing to your solar panels, you’re going to increase the system’s overall lifespan.
Conclusion
Overall, there are basically just two good solutions for bird-proofing solar panel strategies: bird spikes or mesh/wire netting. Although neither of these choices is ideal, in our opinion, the netting performs better. It is more attractive, safer for the birds (spikes can occasionally damage a bird’s foot), and more efficient.
Because it is a better product, we think you should spend the extra money on it. Both of these may be done at home without outside assistance, saving you money. However, if you want to engage a professional, the cost to bird-proof your solar panels would likely increase to at least $1,000.
