Solving Bird Problems on Pipes and Railings

 

Solving Bird Problems on Pipes and Railings

 

 Keep birds off pipes and railings

 

 

Birds often like to perch on pipes and railings. This can cause a host of problems such as droppings accumulating on and under the pipes and railings themselves creating unsanitary conditions. In addition, if the droppings are not cleaned up promptly, they can cause corrosion or staining.  Bird droppings and nesting materials often contain vectors and bacteria that harbor very serious diseases such as encephalitis, meningitis, histoplasmosis and more.  It is especially important if the pipes or railings the birds are roosting on are near air intake for HVAC units to ensure prompt clean up so the droppings do not become airborne spores. 

Bird nests on or inside pipes can lead to blockages or damage to the pipes. Even perching or roosting activity if allowed to happen for a length of time can cause damage to the exterior of the pipes or railing.  In addition, some birds like woodpeckers may peck at pipes or railings causing damage that can lead to leaks or violating the structural integrity of the pipe or railing.

 

So how do you get rid of bird problems on pipes and railings?

First determine which pest birds you are dealing with and look at the overall situation. 

Are the pipes outdoor and exposed to the elements? 

Are there nearby trees that the birds also perch on that could be trimmed to help discourage birds from congregating in the area?

Are you dealing with larger birds like pigeons, crows or seagulls? 
If so you have a few different bird control product options. One is Birdwire, a spring-tensioned, stainless-steel post and wire system that creates an unstable landing space that pest birds do not like. Birdwire is almost invisible and humane, with special railing clamps in many sizes, so it is a great option for pipe problems in areas where there is high visibility and you want bird control product that is effective, but doesn’t destroy the view.  Bird Spikes are also a humane and effective option for deterring larger birds landing on outdoor pipes or railing.  Made of U.V. resistant polycarbonate with stainless-steel rods with blunt-tips, Bird Spikes can be glued or attached with zip ties to any pipe or railing.

If you are also dealing with smaller birds like sparrows or starlings, if there is a food source nearby or some protective overhangs or you are dealing with indoor pipes, you may want to use Bird-Shock Flex Track which is a very low-profile electric track product that can be glued or screwed to the pipe surface.  The track gives the birds a humane ‘static electric like’ shock when the birds come in contact with it, driving them away to find a more hospitable spot to hang out or nest.  If you have a series of pipes indoors to protect, netting off the entire area with ¾” inch BirdNet may be your best option.  BirdNet completely denies access to all bird species for up to ten years and you can install access areas for maintenance on the pipes with the BirdNet zippers.

One more bird deterrent that has shown to be very effective in deterring birds from pipes and railings, both indoor and outdoor, and all bird species is Bird Free Optical Repellent Gel.  This gel is different from other bird gels which can create a real mess that requires more cleanup than the bird droppings themselves.  The Bird Free Optical Repellent Gel comes in low profile, pre-loaded 8 mm high dishes of a special biologic gel that hits multiple senses of the birds. A special combination of smells that birds dislike is loaded into the gel as well as an optical sensory element that appears like a wall of flames to the birds with their ability to see in the ultraviolet space.  The Bird Free gel dishes provide up to two years of protection and the gel is oil based so it resists rain and snow and is not affective by extreme temperatures. Space the dishes about a foot apart along the pipe or railing to create a full ‘wall of fire” effect for the problem birds, driving them away to a safer location.

 

If you have pest bird problems on your pipes or railings and are unsure which would be the best bird deterrent to use feel free to call us at 855-741-3222 or email us at mark@birdsgottago.com. We can assist you with determining the right product(s) to order and/or recommend an expert local installer if your maintenance team needs on site guidance.