With over 300 days of sunshine a year it’s no wonder many homes in Arizona are equipped with solar panels. What homeowners do not sign up for when installing these panels are the critters that take refuge from the sun beneath them. Which critters are commonly found residing under solar panels? What potential damage can they cause? How can one keep critters out from under the panels?
Birds top the charts for eviction requests when it comes to residents under solar panels.
There are also eviction calls for raccoons, squirrels and rats. Why are critters attracted to the underside of the panels? Solar panels offer all of these critters shade and protection from the sun on an elevated platform away from predators.
While under the panels these critters will begin to get comfortable. Birds, rats and squirrels will carry various bits of debris from the neighborhood to the underside of the panels while constructing their homes. Homeowners typically complain about the feces and other solids that fall out from the nests down the sides of the home and onto the walkways/pools/ etc below. Rodents under the solar panels may be inclined to chew at cables and connectors if exposed. It’s important to note that many solar companies will void the warranty of the panels if any screws are mechanically fastened to the system.
So, how does one exclude critters from their solar panels and not void the warranty?
There are special fasteners designed to secure PVC coated hardware cloth around the perimeter of solar panels. These fasteners do not need to be drilled or screwed into the panels. The heavy gauge hardware cloth creates a formidable barrier excluding critters from the underside of the panels.
Solar panels can be a great resource for energy. Unfortunately, in most cases the panels are lifted off the roof with enough space for many different critters to call the void home. Falling feces, eggs, misc debris from a homes roof and the fear of cables being chewed are valid reasons for one to protect the underside of their solar panels. The use of exclusions installed in a non invasive manner will keep a home’s solar panels free from critter occupancy.
For more information about wildlife removal contact the team at Critter Evictors for your complimentary inspection.