A lifetime warranty means your Solar panels are protected from nesting birds indefinitely for the lifetime of your Solar Installation. Our lifetime warranty applies to our product (Australian Solar Mesh) and our workmanship. Once our product is up, you’ll never have to worry again. Do it once, do it properly. Set and forget, safeguard your investment with Australian Solar Mesh.

Lifetime warranty will only be valid if proper maintenance is carried out for your Solar installation. This entails a professional clean every 24 months, to be completed by us. In certain cases, special treatment will be given to families who may not be able to afford this and the guidelines altered.

At least one professional clean every 12 months is recommended to ensure your panels are running at optimal efficiency and are being properly maintained. You can engage our cleaning and maintenance services at your own pace.

We recommend the following:

• One clean every 12 months is recommended

• One clean every 24 months at a minimum

The intervals at which you should clean your Solar panels vary mainly with location. In some locations Solar panels are surrounded by trees, in other locations there are roadworks being undertaken and in others there is none of the above. A professional clean once per year is sufficient in most cases.

Prices differ between jobs and costs are generally based on the number of Solar panels, the number of sections in which they are installed, the severity of the infestation and the height of the roof (single storey/double storey).

Prices can range anywhere from $500 – tens of thousands. It is always cheaper for work to be carried out as a preventative measure rather than waiting for the pigeon infestation to arrive. For an accurate quote, please fill out this form.

There are many factors that can influence the installation time. Some of these include Roof Access, nest position under the Solar panels, amount of Solar panels, the layout of the installation, the amount of debris, whether or not chicks have hatched, the state of the gutters, the cleaning time, and the weather.

Our average job time is around 2-3 hours, however, can vary between 1-8 hours.

No, you don’t.

With your permission we can access your roof from the front of the property. All jobs undertaken by us include photos of before, during and after. This gives you reassurance that the work has been completed in proper accordance with our quote and gives you the freedom to not be at the property while the work is being undertaken.

At this current time, we service the Sydney metropolitan area, greater Sydney, the Illawarra region, the Hunter region and the Central Coast. If you are unsure or your area hasn’t been listed, please call or complete our contact form to see if we can service your area.

Our method of installation requires no drilling or dismantling of your solar panels. This ensures the mesh installation does not compromise the mechanical integrity of your panels and in turn results in no downtime when installation time comes.

In severe infestation cases, sometimes Solar panels will need to be removed for access, this work will always be undertaken by a certified electrician. If this is the case the customer will always be notified, and it will be stated in the quote.

We understand that all roofs are different. Our technicians always carry numerous different tiles in case of breakage. We will always let you know if a tile has been cracked by us or if we notice broken tiles while we are carrying out our work. If a roof tile cracks or breaks, we will replace and paint (if necessary) these free of charge.

When it comes to the damage of Solar panels all our technicians are trained professionals and this is nothing to worry about. Rest assured however if there is damage caused to your Solar installation and it can be shown that it was our technicians absolutely all corrections will be made on behalf of the company to the customers.

As a thank you from us, we have the following offers running:

• Seniors receive 10% off any bird proofing solution or cleaning service

• SES volunteers receive 10% off any bird proofing solution or cleaning service

• RSPCA volunteers receive 10% off any bird proofing solution or cleaning service

• Refer a friend and receive $100 off or a free solar panel clean

Australian Solar Mesh is a company based on integrity. We strongly advise that you choose us to complete your Solar bird-proofing however we believe the least we can do is provide you with all necessary information to explore all the options for yourself. When comparing quotes, you need to look out for the following:

1. The installation of chicken wire and low carbon steel. This will rust/break, voiding your Solar warranty and leaving you with bigger problems then when you started. Low carbon steel can be identified mostly by the type of clip being used. When low carbon mesh is sold it is accompanied by aluminium clips as a way to further cut costs. Aluminium clips are detrimental to your Solar installation as they attract heat which can (when clipped to your Solar panels) heat the wiring insulation causing a fault in the circuit over time.

2. The installation of rubber gutter guard. This will break in the years to come leaving you to pay for this process again. Not only that, the rubber gutter guard does not allow for adequate ventilation of your Solar installation which can cause your Solar panels to overheat drastically reducing efficiency and longevity.

3. How the bird-proofing materials are being fixed to your panels. Ensure no one is cable tying to your panels as this is inefficient and will eventually break with the sun. Ensure no one is drilling/screwing into your Solar panels. This is efficient however is classed as an alteration and will void your Solar warranty with your installer.

4. Installations being completed without photos of before, during and after and all sides of your Solar panels. This ensures the correct use of materials in its entirety and proper workmanship. As proof of proper nest removal please request before and after photos of all sections under your Solar panels (each row of Solar panels has three sections). This ensures that all nests are removed, eliminating the risk of baby pigeons being left under the installation. In a situation where there are no nests you will be able to see the whole way through to the light entering on the other side. Anything that is black or blocks that sunlight is a nest or bird.

5. The cost - The cost goes a long way to signify the quality of work being proposed and provided. The cheaper option at the time is not always the best, the decision you make in choosing who to carry out your Solar bird-proofing requires thought for the future. As this is not a relatively cheap process it becomes a process you only want to do once. You need to account for the complete removal and proper disposal of all nests, the complete removal and proper disposal of all potential baby birds, the quality of the material, the cleaning time, insurance and safety.

6. The warranty provided – You should not accept anything other than a lifetime warranty. Solar is an investment to ease the financial pressures of society and you shouldn’t have to be paying for bird-proofing continuously.

The best way to get value for money is to do your research! Are you using a reputable company with the right knowledge and the right materials? This process isn’t cheap, and it’s something you only want to do once.

Furthermore, you want to be thinking about the future. You need to ask the questions: Is this material going to last? Do these installers have reputable knowledge of this industry to ensure my Solar Installation warranty is not voided? And are there photos being provided so I can see for myself that the job has been carried out correctly.

The best value for money is not having to repeat this process. Get it done once and get it done properly.

Just as your car needs cleaning after it rains so do your Solar panels. Over time a layer of grime builds up on the surface of your Solar installation which leads to a decrease in efficiency. This grime blocks the Sun’s light from reaching the photovoltaic cells within your Solar panels. A Solar clean is pivotal in ensuring your Solar installation is functioning at optimal efficiency and you are getting your monies worth on your investment.

A baiting service is the administration of a “special bird seed” designed specifically to “scatter” the current pigeon infestation. It is generally applied when an infestation has been left to grow for too long. It does not harm the designated pigeons however causes a somewhat “delirium” in the birds and in their internal GPS system for a short period of time. During this short period of time the birds fly away and when the bait wears off the birds have no idea how to get back to where they were nesting.

Baiting is essential in high infestation cases where there are typically 5 or more nests/8 or more birds. The reason it is essential is to prevent irreversible damage. As these are homing pigeons they tend to hang around and try get back under your Solar panels once our mesh is installed (this can’t be helped, it is in their biology). In a case with 5 or more nests and 8 or more pigeons, it can take several weeks to months for them to move on by themselves, in that time they are going to potentially cause irreversible damage to your Solar panels with their corrosive droppings. Even though they will eventually move on by themselves, it is highly recommended to carry out the baiting procedure in situations like this to protect your solar installation, roof and health.

We offer a lifetime warranty on our materials and our workmanship. The reason why we can offer this is because of quality and knowledge. The quality of our material and the knowledge of our technicians. Quality goes a long way especially on a product that is prone to extremes of weather and corrosive droppings.

Why? We offer a lifetime warranty because you need it, and we can. For your reassurance and peace of mind that in choosing us, you’ve chosen the best. When it comes to bird-proofing Solar we understand that it is not cheap and it’s a process you only want to do once. We believe in proving to you that we are a company that stands by our word, offering a premium product at the best possible price

Yes! Safety on roofs is a must!

Ladders are always tied off to avoid falling and our technicians are always harnessed up. On a roof one misstep can have disastrous consequences. We pride ourselves on our safety protocols and endeavour to ensure all our technicians make it home.

The birds nesting under your Solar panels are one or both of the following:

• The feral pigeon (homing pigeon)

Or

• The myna bird

The Myna bird is the small yellow, brown and black bird you see on your roof. Introduced into the Australian ecosystem on purpose in the 1860’s to control caterpillars and other insects in market gardens. They nest under the Solar panels because it is warm and spacious. Their nests are quite messy and are comprised of leaves, grass, feathers and assorted items of rubbish. These nests grow quite large and are a massive fire risk to the home.

The Other is the feral pigeon. This specific type of bird is a descendant of the homing pigeon, native to Europe, North Africa and India, introduced into our ecosystem from European settlers in the 1600’s. These specific birds are an invasive species and are solely responsible for the increasing damage caused to Solar installations here in Australia. There nests a made up of sticks and poo, the birds essentially live in their own droppings. These feral pigeons can carry over 60 different diseases and are the main cause of the potential severe health risks posed to Australian families with Solar installations.

The amount of time taken for these feral homing pigeons to move on is directly linked to the amount of time that they have been able to nest. If they have been able to nest for under a month they should move on relatively quickly (a week or two). If they have been able to nest for several months, they could potentially take up to several weeks to move on and if they have been able to nest for a year or more this is when baiting is strongly recommended to break up the infestation and safeguard your Solar investment.

Yes.

As this issue has been overlooked for many years it has now caused a massive increase in the feral pigeon population here in Australia. Everyone with Solar eventually is going to need to get bird-proofing done.

As more and more Solar installations become bird-proofed the pigeons that once inhabited house X (X being the house that has now had its Solar installation bird-proofed) will move to house Y (Y being the house where the Solar installation has not been bird-proofed). Then when house Y becomes bird-proofed the pigeons move to house Z and so on.

It is always cheaper to install our mesh as a preventative measure before the infestation reaches your property.

The reason you have this issue right now and your neighbor doesn’t is just pure luck. As stated previously everyone will eventually have this issue, it’s just a matter of time.

If you’re experiencing a severe infestation and don’t want to bait, you are exposing your Solar installation to potential irreversible damage. It will come down to choosing between this invasive species of pest bird (of which is harmful to our ecosystem) and your Solar panels which cost tens of thousands of dollars. We understand that not everyone is comfortable with “baiting” as the consensus is that baiting kills these birds. Our solution does not. At Australian Solar Mesh we operate with compassion. Our baiting solution “breaks up” the infestation removing it from your property and allowing these birds to go nest elsewhere. No birds are harmed during this process.

If you leave these feral homing pigeons to nest the infestation will just get worse and worse. In the span of a year, one nest can turn into ten and two birds can turn into twenty or more.

Over time the nests and birds will grow causing:

• More frequent and louder cooing and rustling noises

• An increased risk of damage to the cabling of your Solar installation

• Irreversible damage to the face of your Solar panels (through corrosive bird droppings)

• Shrubbery growth in your gutters which will affect the structural integrity of your guttering system eventually allowing water to flow into your roof causing massive damage

• Damage to the internal plumbing of your property

• An increased risk of bird lice

• An Increased health risk to your family and your pets

• An increased fire hazard

• Increased risk of structural damage to your roof

The great part is once your Solar panels are safeguarded, and the infestation removed (or if your just in the process of safeguarding without an infestation at present) the homing pigeons that come after will just move on! They will see that they cannot nest there and just fly away to somewhere that they can. This is because it is a new “set” of birds that haven’t nested their previously, they haven’t had a chance to call your Solar panels their home, so they just carry on.

These pest birds can essentially breed up to twelve times per year under your Solar panels, having 1-3 eggs per nesting cycle.

These pigeons can have disastrous effects on your health. They can cause and carry over 60 different diseases which can affect your respiratory system, digestive system, and nervous system. We strongly urge anyone with respiratory issues and Solar panels to carry out our bird-proofing as a preventative measure.

These pigeons can also affect your pets. Droppings left for dogs to eat can make them sick leading to thousands of dollars in vet bills. Cats that may eat these birds can also contract diseases making them severely ill. Please view our Why Install tab for further information.

There are specific few materials that are being used to carry out bird-proofing in Australia. We come across these all the time from clients who have used other companies only to find out that they have to re-do the process again. The materials are:

• Rubber gutter guard

• Chicken wire

• Plastics

• Low carbon steel

None of the above can offer a lifetime warranty.

If you are living near the ocean, we highly recommend Australian Solar Mesh. Our industry specialised stainless steel has the best resistance to chemicals and chlorides (like salt) compared to any other type of stainless steel in the market.