Pigeon Proofing in Gilbert, AZ

Pigeon Proofing is a common need for Gilbert solar owners, and the reason is simple: a rooftop array creates a shaded, sheltered pocket a few inches above the roof that looks to a pigeon like a cliff ledge with a roof over it. Feral pigeons are descended from rock doves, which nest on cliffs, and buildings give them the same kind of ledges. Under a solar array they get shade from the summer sun, protection from hawks, and a flat surface for a nest.

How to tell you have pigeons under the array

• Cooing or scratching sounds overhead, especially early in the morning
• Droppings on the roof edge, the patio, the pool deck or the panels themselves
• Twigs, feathers and debris sticking out from the panel edges
• Birds landing on the roof and walking straight under the array
• A lower reading on panels nearest the nest, from droppings on the glass

Why it matters beyond the mess

Nests and droppings build up under the panels, where they trap moisture against the roof and can block the paths water uses to drain off tile. Birds pick at loose wiring, and HomeGuide lists loose or chewed wiring among common solar repairs. Droppings that land on the glass shade the cells beneath them, and on a string system, shading one panel can drag down the output of the whole string. The droppings also make the area around the house unpleasant, and the birds rarely leave on their own. According to Wikipedia's account of the species, feral pigeons can breed at any time of year, so a pair that settles in can raise brood after brood.

How we pigeon-proof an array

The job has two halves: getting the birds and their nests out, then closing the gap so they cannot get back in. We remove nests, droppings and debris from under the panels by hand, bag it, and wash down the area. With the space open, we inspect the wiring, connectors and roof mounts for damage. Then we install a galvanized or coated wire mesh around the perimeter of the array, attached to the panel frames with clips designed for the purpose, so nothing is drilled into the modules or the roof. The mesh is trimmed to follow the roof surface, including the curves of barrel tile, so there is no gap left for a bird to squeeze through.

Get a Free Estimate

Timing and nesting birds

Feral pigeons are generally not protected the way native birds are, but we still check for eggs and young before sealing anything. Closing mesh over a live nest traps birds and creates a bigger problem. If the array is a nesting site for another species, such as a mourning dove or a native bird, we tell you and adjust the plan. When the birds are gone and the space is clean, the mesh goes on.

Doing it at the right moment

If your roof is due for new underlayment or a reroof, it makes sense to add mesh when the panels go back on. If the birds are already there and the roof is fine, we can pigeon-proof the array as it stands. Either way, cleaning the panel glass at the same visit helps you see how much production the droppings were costing.

What mesh does not do

Mesh keeps birds out from under the array. It does not stop them from landing on the roof ridge or sitting on top of the panels. If birds are roosting elsewhere on the house, such as on a parapet or in a gap at the eaves, that is a separate bird-control job, and we will point out what we see.