Michigan’s Solar Boom Creates an Unexpected Problem: Your Green Energy Investment is Becoming a Pest Paradise
As Michigan accelerates toward its clean energy goals, Genesee County has become a hotbed of solar development, with major installations bringing hundreds of megawatts of clean energy online. Solar installations are increasing rapidly across Michigan, with customer participation growing by 53% in recent years. But as more homeowners embrace this green technology, they’re discovering an unwelcome side effect: their solar panels are creating five-star accommodations for some of nature’s most destructive guests.
The Perfect Storm: Why Solar Panels Attract Pests
Solar panels make excellent roosts for birds, especially pigeons, providing large, sheltered areas that protect birds from harsh weather conditions and predatory threats while acting as a heat source for nesting. While designed to capture sunlight, solar panels inadvertently provide shelter to many pests, with birds seeing the space underneath as a perfect place to build nests, away from predators and inclement weather, while squirrels and rodents find solace underneath the panels, enjoying the warmth and protection.
The problem extends beyond just birds. When birds build nests under solar panels, they attract other pests, such as squirrels and rodents, and these critters can chew through a solar panel’s electrical wiring, which may lead to shorts and rooftop fires. Squirrels chew on wiring because they are rodents whose teeth are constantly growing, so they instinctively chew on things to help wear them down.
The Hidden Costs of Pest Invasion
The financial impact of pest infiltration can be staggering. Birds and pests can slash solar panel efficiency by up to 30%, leading to significant energy and financial losses. Every year, pest birds cause hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to solar panels, and over time, bird nests, droppings and debris can cause considerable damage.
Debris, droppings, and nests can block sunlight from reaching the solar cells, reducing the efficiency of solar panel systems, while pests can damage the wiring and structural components of the panels, leading to pricey repairs or replacements, and chewed wires can lead to electrical issues and potential fire hazards. Potential losses can reach hundreds, even thousands of dollars over the lifespan of a solar system, as repairs aren’t cheap, and neither is the lost energy production.
Health and Safety Concerns
Beyond financial damage, pest infestations pose serious health risks. Bird nests and droppings can harbor any of 60 diseases—like encephalitis, salmonella, meningitis, even the West Nile virus. Birds’ nests provide a hospitable environment for other pests, with warm, dry nesting materials attracting cockroaches, while rodents may raid birds’ nests looking for eggs.
Genesee County residents face specific challenges with mosquitoes that carry West Nile Virus and ticks that transmit Lyme Disease, making comprehensive pest management even more critical for solar panel owners.
Professional Solutions for Genesee County Homeowners
While DIY solutions may seem tempting, quick fixes like traps are ineffective solar pest control solutions because they’re not long-term, and traps will only scare pests for a short while and will not catch all of them in a single instance. Professional mesh solutions, also called critter guards or bird barriers, create long-lasting physical barriers preventing pests from accessing the underside of panels.
Local Genesee County residents have access to specialized expertise through established pest control professionals. Companies serving Genesee County since 2005 bring decades of hands-on experience, with recognition from Angie’s List and Home Advisor. Some local companies offer unique services like canine bed bug detection, being among fewer than 100 companies nationwide offering this specialized detection method, providing accuracy that visual inspections alone cannot match.
For homeowners dealing with solar panel pest issues, professional Pest Control Services Genesee County, MI can provide comprehensive solutions that protect both your investment and your family’s health. Certified teams guarantee that homes and businesses are in safe hands with professional, reliable pest control, treating properties with the same care and respect as their own, offering satisfaction guarantees, and using solutions that are safe for families, pets, and the environment.
Prevention is Key
The best way to address the problem of birds and critters under solar panels is to install effective and humane deterrents, ideally when solar panels are first installed, or at the very least before pest birds arrive. Regular inspections to check for nesting birds and rodent infestations, combined with solar panel cleaning and maintenance to remove accumulated leaves and debris that make suitable nesting materials, can help spot problems early.
Most customers choose ongoing protection because Michigan’s pest pressures change dramatically with the seasons, with spring bringing emerging insects, summer seeing peak activity, and fall triggering overwintering behavior, making ongoing programs with regular monitoring visits and seasonal treatments essential.
Protecting Your Green Investment
As Michigan continues its transition to clean energy, with Governor Whitmer signing bills to transition Michigan to clean energy by 2040 and giving the state authority to override local decisions to allow property owners to house solar projects on their land, protecting these investments becomes increasingly important.
Integrating solar panel pest control with regular maintenance will prolong the life of panels and ensure a smooth, uninterrupted flow of green energy to properties, guaranteeing the prolonged life of panels and facilitating seamless energy production. Don’t let pests turn your clean energy investment into an expensive headache—take action to protect your solar panels before problems arise.