Bird Netting

By Alex A. Kecskes

Commercial buildings seem to attract pest birds like flies to sugar. The problem is that these buildings have all sorts of places birds just love to hide and build nests in. Birds will gravitate to open beams, lofty attic areas, storage lofts and many other nooks and crannies.

When pest birds roost and nest in these areas, they create a number of problems. Dry nesting materials and feathers make perfect kindling for fires. Any slight spark can ignite these materials and you have the potential for a destructive fire with loss of inventory and escalating insurance rates.

Then there are the droppings. This chemical waste can corrode virtually any material over time, including electrical wiring. Bird droppings can also jam up skylights, windows and rotating rooftop ventilators. And they can create dangerous slip-and-fall hazards for employees. Finally, dried bird droppings in the form of dust can carry any number of serious diseases.

There are, of course, a number of ways to get rid of pest birds. Poisons, BB guns, loud horns may work for a while, but they all have their drawbacks.  One of the most popular solutions is Bird Netting.

Bird netting has been successfully used to block a wide variety of birds from entering unwanted areas. It's a humane, low profile way of blocking out pigeons, sparrows, gulls, starlings and crows. It comes in a variety of stock sizes and custom cuts. You can generally choose from two mesh sizes to deter the species of pest bird that tends to invade your particular commercial building: a 2-inch mesh and 3/4-inch mesh. The best No-Knot Bird Netting has the longest guarantee on the market--10 years.
 
The best Bird Netting is made of flame resistant, multi-strand polypropylene fiber. Polypropylene is chemically inert and highly resistant to a wide range of chemicals at ordinary temperatures. This netting has been ISO 1806 Protocol Mesh tested. Netting will not rot, absorb water, or mildew. It features U.V. inhibitors and can withstand a wide temperature range from 250F to 338F. It is very light, non-conductive and easy to install, yet it boasts a break strength of 50 pounds.

For optimum bird proofing results Bird Netting must be properly installed. Before installing the netting, thoroughly clean all surfaces to make sure they are free of bird droppings, nesting materials, rust, peeling paint or other debris. Netting that is improperly installed can sag or droop, creating gaps that birds can work their way through. Birds are smart and very skilled at poking through nets that are not correctly installed. For best results, cables should be set up around the area and the net should then be attached to this cable. When in doubt about proper installation, consult a bird control expert.

by Terra Anders

Athletic stadiums are often the subject of much ballyhoo.  When a new stadium opens up, the architecture, seating capacity, or technological gizmos are often praised as the latest and greatest.  People flock to this new attraction to be part of the history of the stadium.  But over time, something else flocks to the stadium.  They are not interested in the design or technological tools. They could care less about the sculptures carved intricately into the stone ways. They don't‘ even care if the home team wins or loses.  They are birds: pigeons, doves, or sparrows to be more specific.  Some may call them songbirds or feathered friends, but ball park maintenance teams call them by another name: Pests!

These pest birds are attracted to the open stadiums because of their ongoing supply of crumbs and leftovers, their high rafters for safe roosting, and their vast space for their ever growing flock size. However, lots of birds hanging around means lots of potential headaches for those who are responsible for keeping the stadium clean. Bird droppings on stadium seats, cement concourses, even exterior entryways and concession stands can mean unintended health and sanitation violations.  This could result in authorities shutting down a stadium until city inspectors are convinced that the problem won’t repeat itself. The cost of closing down a multi-million dollar stadium could be devastating to annual earnings.  Not only does that result in unhappy fans, but angry stockholders as well.

Bird infestations create problems for all kinds of structures, and stadiums are no exception. On a rainy day, bird droppings can become slippery and create a fall hazard or personal injury that could cost management big bucks.  In the summer time, the dust created from the droppings could create a carrier for some airborne diseases that bird feces commonly harbor. A new stadium can go from attractive to atrocious in a very short period of time. Perception of the stadium as run-down or messy can really devalue the property quickly. In addition, cleanup costs can tally into the thousands of dollars a year. Finding ways to stop bird infestations before they become a problem is a critical step in the stadium design process.

Many city ordinances have rules and regulations about how you can and cannot get rid of pest birds. Some mandate only humane methods be used to rid a property of birds. The best way to avoid this scenario is to design preventative bird deterrent systems into the construction of the stadium from the early stages.  Waiting until the birds have made themselves at home is too late.  Architects and engineers often turn to proven bird deterrent experts like Bird-B-Gone. They can evaluate the structure design and the type of birds that are roosting in the area.  Once they know the extent of the problem, they will suggest the best, most humane option(s) to design into the stadium decor.

Bird netting can prove to be one of the best options. This polypropylene netting is made with a knotted or unknotted polyethylene mesh. The netting comes in 3/4” (generic for all birds), 1-1/8” (starlings or pigeons), or 2” mesh (pigeons or seagulls).  The netting is heavy-duty and UV stabilized to last up to 10 years without deteriorating. It shuts off the favorite bird roosting spots and the frustrated flyers are likely forced to find other accommodations. The best part is that it is almost completely invisible so it will let all the pizazz of the stadium design details shine through. 

The cost of outfitting a large athletic stadium with bird netting is cost effective, but could be up to a few thousand dollars (depending on size of stadium).  Still, the cost for weekly cleanup, including materials, labor and customer dissatisfaction could be many times greater. Building bird deterrent systems into the stadium at conception is sure to be a home-run for the home team fans.

by Alex A. Kecskes

With spring almost upon us, pest birds will be scouting out new locations for nesting and roosting. They can do a lot of damage to your store. Here's one area of your store that may be particularly vulnerable and what you can do to protect it.

Problem: Store signage—whether it's constructed of glass, metal, plastic or even a composite material—is attractive to most pest birds.  Signs are usually elevated and often have a number of nooks and crannies where birds can conceal themselves from predators. Birds also like the warmth many signs offer, which comes from the lighted bulbs inside.  During daylight hours, sun filters into glass and plastic and acts like a solarium for birds, keeping them nice and toasty.

When birds build nests in signs, they leave droppings, feathers and other debris in and around them. This material is perfect kindling for starting a fire. But even if they don't start a fire, these materials are unsightly and block out light. Eventually, the droppings will eat into the signage materials and destroy the sign. Either way, you're faced with some very expensive repair and cleanup costs.
 
Associated with birds nesting in signs is the problem of bird droppings right below the sings. This can lead to dangerous slip-and-fall hazards for both employees and customers. The legal liability here can be ruinously expensive.

The Solution:  The are a number of ways you can keep pest birds away from your signs. One of the best ways is to use bird netting. This is a far better alternative than bird poisons or BB guns—the former presents a health problem; the latter can leave holes in your sign. 

Bird netting is humane and proven effective in excluding birds from signage. Birds like sparrows, starlings and pigeons can't penetrate the netting to land, so they simply move on to a more hospitable home. The best netting is Heavy-Duty Polyethylene Bird Netting. It's made from a U.V. stabilized mesh and comes in various stock sizes and custom cuts. Depending on the bird you're tying to keep out and the size of your sign, you have three choices: a 2-inch mesh, 1 1/8-inch mesh, and 3/4-inch mesh.

Look for bird netting that is ISO 1806 protocol mesh tested. It should also be flame resistant with a 270-degree F. melting point—some signs get really hot. You'll want your netting to last through hot and cold weather, so opt for bird netting that's rot-proof, non-conductive and stable in sub zero temperatures. One manufacturer offers bird netting that's fabricated using 6 monofilaments, each12/1000s of an inch thick. Twisted together to produce a sturdy twine, the monofilaments help give this net a breaking strength that exceeds 40 lbs. Bird Netting like this comes with a 10-year guarantee. This type of bird netting is very durable and often specified by architects.

For best results, you should install bird netting now, before pest birds begin arriving in the spring. In addition, the netting should be correctly installed (a qualified bird control expert can help you).  Before installation, be sure to clean all contact surfaces of bird droppings, nesting materials, rust, peeling paint or other debris. Improperly installed bird netting can sag or droop, creating gaps that birds can work their way through.

by Alex A. Kecskes

As any commercial business owner knows, signage is not cheap. Good signage is, in most cases, a custom order and represents the identity of the business. In addition to being informative, it projects who you are and what you stand for. All the more reason to protect that image and keep it sterling and clean.

One of the biggest threats to commercial signage is the pest bird. They can deface and destroy virtually any sign whether it's constructed of plastic, wood, metal or a composite of these materials. This is because most bird droppings contain high levels of acid, which over time, can eat into and corrode almost any material.

By the way, nesting materials and feathers make perfect kindling for fires. When these materials gather near electrical signage wiring or bulbs, it's an accident waiting to happen. Signs have been known ignite and plastic signs, especially, go up like a dry Christmas tree.

Another problem with birds and signage is that birds who nest and roost in signs often leave bird droppings on the entryways and walkways directly below them. This can lead to dangerous slip-and-fall hazards for both employees and customers. The legal liability here is almost too costly to think about.

There are a number of ways you can address your bird problem. Bird poisons are one way, but they are inhumane, and dead birds falling at the entrance of your business can turn away customers. The preferred solution is to use Heavy Duty Bird Netting.

Bird netting is an exclusionary bird barrier that has been proven to keep birds out of signage. Birds like sparrow, starlings and pigeons can't penetrate the netting and so they simply move on. Since most signs are located on the exterior of commercial enterprises, it just makes sense to get the most durable Bird Netting you can find.  After all, if you're going to go to the trouble of installing netting, you might as well get netting that lasts.

Here's the thing with Heavy-Duty polyethylene Bird Netting. It's made from a U.V. stabilized mesh and comes in various stock sizes and custom cuts. Depending on the bird you're tying to exclude and the size of your sign, you have three choices: a 2-inch mesh, 1 1/8-inch mesh, and 3/4-inch mesh.

The best netting is ISO 1806 protocol mesh tested. It's flame resistant with a 270-degree F. melting point. This caliber of netting is also rot-proof, non-conductive and stable in sub zero temperatures. The netting is made using 6 monofilaments, each12/1000s of an inch thick. Twisted together to produce a sturdy twine, the monofilaments help give this net a breaking strength that exceeds 40 lbs. Bird Netting like this comes with a 10-year guarantee. It's highly efficient and effective, so much so that it's specified by architects.

To remain effective, Heavy Duty Bird Netting must be properly installed. Before installation, all contact surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned and free of bird droppings, nesting materials, rust, peeling paint or other debris. Improperly installed Bird Netting can sag or droop, creating gaps that birds can claw through.