Pigeons love the sheltered gap under roof-mounted solar panels: it is warm, dry and safe from predators. Once they move in you get nesting debris, droppings on the panels and gutters, cooing at dawn and birds pecking at cables. Adam and Eve Property Care fits discreet bird proofing around solar panels in Chippenham and across Wiltshire, so birds cannot get underneath — without drilling into your panels or your roof.
Signs pigeons are nesting under your panels
- Pigeons landing on the roof and disappearing under the panel edge
- Twigs, feathers or nesting material sticking out from under the array
- Droppings building up on the panels, the roof below and in the gutters
- Scratching and cooing noises, often early in the morning
- A drop in generation on your app or inverter with no obvious cause
Why it is worth proofing
- Protect the cabling. Birds and nesting material sit right next to the DC cables and connectors behind the panels.
- Keep generation up. Droppings on the glass shade the cells and reduce output.
- Stop the mess spreading. Nest debris and droppings wash into gutters and downpipes and block them.
- Peace and quiet. No more birds scratching and cooing above the bedroom ceiling.
What we fit: Defender® solar panel bird excluders
We install Defender® solar panel bird excluders, a UK-made system designed for the gap between the panel frame and the roof. Instead of a wire mesh cage, a line of clear prongs is fixed around the edge of the array and reaches down to the tiles, so pigeons, gulls, rooks and crows cannot squeeze underneath.
- No drilling — the excluders are bonded to the side of the panel frame with a dedicated fixing silicone. Nothing is screwed into the panels, the mounting rails or the roof.
- Discreet — clear UV-stabilised polycarbonate that is hard to see from the street once fitted.
- Follows the roof — the prongs are trimmed to sit just above the tiles, even on uneven or profiled tiles.
- Fits most domestic arrays — suitable where the gap under the panels is roughly 80–150 mm.
- Humane — a physical barrier that keeps birds out without harming them.
- Built to last — the manufacturer gives a 15-year UK warranty on the product.
How the job works
- Quote from photos — send a photo of the roof and the number of panels; we confirm access and a fixed price.
- Nest check — before fitting we check for active nests. Wild birds' active nests are protected by law, so if there are eggs or young we plan the work around them.
- Clear out — accessible nesting material and debris are removed from the panel edges and gutters below.
- Fit — excluders are fixed around the full perimeter of the array and trimmed to the tiles.
- Check — we walk you through photos of the finished edge and leave the roof and gutters clean.
Combine it with a panel clean
If pigeons have been living under the array, the glass is usually covered in droppings. We can clean the panels on the same visit — see solar panel cleaning — and clear the gutters with our high-reach gutter vacuum while we are there.
Price guide
Bird proofing for a typical 10–12 panel array on a two-storey house starts from £350. The final price depends on the length of the panel perimeter, how many separate arrays you have, roof access and how much nesting material needs clearing. You get a fixed written quote before we start.
Areas we cover
We fit solar panel bird proofing across Chippenham, Corsham, Calne, Melksham, Malmesbury, Devizes, Bath, Trowbridge and Swindon — anywhere within about 40 miles of Chippenham.
Frequently asked questions
Will bird proofing affect my solar panel warranty?
The excluders are not screwed or drilled into the panels, rails or roof; they are bonded to the outside of the panel frame. If your installer's warranty has specific conditions, check them or send them to us and we will look before we quote.
Is this better than mesh?
Mesh works too, but it is clipped onto the panels and is more visible, and it can sag or trap leaves over time. Excluders are lower-profile, follow the roof line and do not hold debris against the panel edge.
Can you proof panels if birds are already nesting?
Yes, once the nest is no longer active. We check before fitting and, if there are eggs or chicks, we agree a date after they have left.
Does it hurt the birds?
No. It is a physical barrier that stops birds getting under the panels. They simply move on to somewhere else.
How long does it take?
Most single arrays on a house are proofed in one visit. Larger or multiple arrays, or heavy clear-outs, can take longer — we tell you when we quote.
Get a free quote
Send us a photo of your roof and the number of panels via the contact page or call 07546 781605.