How to Protect Your Solar Panels from Birds and Squirrels

Solar panels are an excellent investment for homeowners to reduce their energy expenses and carbon footprint. However, damage from birds and squirrels is a regular problem for many solar panel owners. These pests have the potential to seriously harm your solar panel system, reducing its lifespan and efficiency. In this blog, we will examine efficient methods for shielding solar panels from these bothersome intruders to protect your solar panels from birds and squirrels.

Why Birds and Squirrels Target Solar Panels

Solar panels attract birds and squirrels for similar reasons. Both critters are looking for a home to build a nest.  In the case of birds, the panels are the perfect hiding spot from larger birds or prey, while also providing the warmth necessary to incubate their eggs and keep their newly born babies warm. Squirrels are also looking for places to nest, but also places to hide their food. 

Birds and Squirrels Bring Risks to Your Solar System

Both critters provide some serious risks to your solar panel system.  Squirrels like to chew through the wiring and do significant wire damage, even to the point of creating house fires due to electrical shorts.  Birds, especially pigeons, build large nests with lots of twigs and grassy materials.  They also like to nip on wires, and when they do so, can create electrical fires.  But their biggest problem is their feces.  They use their feces to help build their nests and regularly poop on your roof.  Their feces is acidic and can burn into your shingles, ruining your roof.  Their feces also has over 60 diseases and can cause sickness if your children or pets ingest it.  Last, over time, as their flock grows, the amount of feces buildup on your panels, roof and in your gutters will leave your gutters full, downspouts clogged and solar panels not producing. 

Birds

Nesting: Birds, especially pigeons, find the sheltered space under solar panels perfect for building nests, especially during breeding season.

Droppings: Bird droppings can accumulate on your solar panels, reducing their efficiency by blocking sunlight and putting the life expectancy of your shingles at risk due to acidity in their feces.

Gutter Issues: Droppings accumulate on the roof, inside gutters and clog downspouts causing damage to the gutter system and foundation issues due to improper water flow.

Squirrels

Chewing: Squirrels are instinctive to chew on things to keep their teeth sharp. Unfortunately, they often target solar panel wiring, leading to costly repairs.

Nesting: Similar to birds, squirrels may also build nests under solar panels, using any available debris. Built with mud, squirrels attach the mud to the electrical components of your solar system, often causing malfunctions with power optimizers or microinverters.

The Risks of Not Protecting Your Solar Panels

Failing to protect your solar panels from birds and squirrels can result in:

Reduced Efficiency: Nesting materials and droppings can block sunlight, decreasing the efficiency of your solar panels.

Damage to Wiring: Chewed wiring can cause short circuits and potentially hazardous situations as well as expensive electrical fixes.

Increased Maintenance Costs: Regularly cleaning bird droppings and repairing squirrel damage can become expensive.

Fire Damage to You and Neighbors:  Electrical shorts that cause fires can ruin your solar system and even cause your home as well as neighbors homes to burn down.

Effective Bird & Squirrel Proofing Strategies

Ensuring your solar panels are bird-proof requires a multi-faceted approach. Here are some effective methods:

Mesh and Netting

The only foolproof way to prevent birds and squirrels from nesting under solar panels is to install critter guard (wire mesh netting) around your solar panels.  It’s important that the material is rated to handle large pigeons and squirrels. That requires you to go with a higher gauge material than you can buy off of Amazon.  Professional installation by a quality Critter Guard Installation company who offers a warranty and maintenance is a major plus. 

Maintenance Tips for Long-Term Protection

Regular maintenance is crucial for ensuring the long-term protection of your solar panels. Here are some tips:

Regular Inspections: Conduct regular inspections to check for any signs of bird or squirrel activity. Look for nests, droppings, or chewed wiring.

Cleaning: Keep your solar panels clean to maximize their efficiency. Use a soft brush or a blower to remove debris without damaging the panels.

Professional Help: Consider hiring a professional Critter Guard Installation Company to remove the pigeons, perform cleanup services and install the critter guard material.  If they perform regular inspections and cleanings, that’s even better.

Connect with Wash Me Solar today!

Ready to safeguard your investment? Start implementing these strategies today and enjoy the peace of mind of a well-protected solar panel system. Wash Me Solar offers cleaning and maintenance packages to provide you with regular solar panel maintenance to ensure your system is operating effectively. Have questions or need professional assistance with a Critter Guard Installation or Pest Exclusion? Contact us now!