Solar panel bird proofing, done by solar engineers.
Pigeons get in through the gap under your panels, nest where you can't see, and come back every year.
We clear them out and mesh the array, done in under a day.
Get a quote for your roof
Tell us a bit about your system and we'll call you back.
Mess down the wall, and cooing at six in the morning.
Most people don't call us about their panels. They call about the noise. Scratching and cooing above the bedroom at first light. Droppings streaked down the render and all over the patio furniture. Feathers building up in the gutter. Then they look up and realise something has moved in under the array.
On the coast it's often gulls as well as pigeons, and gulls are louder and messier. Once one pair settles in, others follow, because the roof clearly works as a home.
What's actually going on under the panels
The gap between a solar panel and the tiles is about 100mm. It's dry, it's warm from the panel above, and it's sheltered from the wind on three sides. If you were a pigeon you'd move in too. They get in at the lower edge of the array, build at the back where nobody can see, and return to the same spot every spring.
By the time most people ring us the nest has been up there two or three seasons. Underneath you get compacted nesting material, feathers and a layer of guano that's gone hard. It blocks the airflow the panels need to stay cool, so on hot days they run hotter and make less. The droppings sit on the fixings and the cabling and eat into them, and birds will pull at loose cable while they're at it.
What solar panel proofing actually involves
It's one visit, and it goes in this order. We'd rather do it properly once than come back.
Inspect and clear
We check the whole perimeter of the array, find where they're getting in, and remove the nests and built-up guano.
Disinfect and mesh
The cleared area gets disinfected, then we fit mesh around the edge of the array so nothing can get back under.
Check the perimeter
We walk the whole edge again afterwards to check for any gap we've missed, before we call it done.
The warranty question nobody else answers
Here's the honest version. Most of the time we can fix the mesh with clips that grip the panel frame and the roof, and nothing gets drilled. On some roofs the layout doesn't allow that, and the only sound fix is a mechanical fixing. We won't pretend we never drill, because that isn't true.
What matters is this. Drilling into a panel frame can affect the manufacturer warranty on that panel. A pest control firm drills by default, because it's quicker and because it's not their job to know what it does to a solar warranty. We're solar engineers, so we do know. We look at your specific roof, we make the call clip or fix, and we tell you which one and why before we start.
That conversation is the whole difference between us and a pest controller, and it's worth having before anyone goes near your panels with a drill.
What changes the price
We quote each roof rather than quoting a flat rate off a webpage, because the roof decides most of the cost. These are the things that move it up or down.
Send us your details or give us a call and we'll give you a real figure. And if we get up there and find your array sits tight to the tiles with no way in, we'll tell you it doesn't need doing rather than sell you mesh you won't use.
Get a quote for your roofWhile we're up there
A pest controller fits the mesh and leaves. We're already on your roof with the array open, so we can run a Solar MOT and tell you what your system is genuinely producing, and flag anything that's down before it costs you. If the panels themselves are filthy, we can clean them properly at the same time.
What customers say
“Very impressed with the service received. Extremely knowledgeable and helpful team of staff. Highly recommend.”
“The guys turned up on time, did a superb job, very polite and professional. Very happy with the work carried out.”
Where we cover
We proof solar panels across Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Dorchester, Weymouth, Southampton, Ferndown, Wimborne, Verwood, Bransgore and New Milton, and throughout the rest of Dorset and Hampshire. If you're just outside that, call and ask, we probably still cover you.
Common questions
Will bird proofing void my solar panel warranty?
It can, if it's done the wrong way. Drilling into a panel frame to fix mesh can affect the manufacturer warranty, and most pest control firms drill because it's quicker. We clip to the roof wherever the roof allows, and only use mechanical fixings where there's genuinely no other option. Either way we tell you which method we're using on your roof, and why, before we start.
How much does it cost?
It depends on the roof, so we quote each one rather than publishing a flat price. The main things that move it are the number of panels, the pitch and height of the roof, whether a three-storey needs scaffolding, and how much old nesting material is already up there. Send us your details or call and we'll give you a proper figure, not a guess.
How long does it take?
Less than a day for almost every home. It's a single visit. We inspect, clear out whatever's nesting up there, disinfect, and fit the mesh around the array in one go.
Do you clean the panels and remove the droppings too?
Yes. Clearing the old nest and the guano is part of the job, not an extra. If the panels themselves need a proper clean while we're up there we can do that as well, and we'll tell you if it's worth it rather than adding it on by default.
Will the mesh stop my panels working properly?
No. The mesh sits around the edge of the array to close the gap birds get in through. It doesn't cover the glass, so it doesn't shade the cells or affect how much power you make. If anything you get output back, because the airflow under the panels is clear again.