That’s it, it really is that easy. As always with all gutter repairs, use extreme caution when climbing ladders. If you are not comfortable on a ladder, than you shouldn’t be climbing up there to try and do any repairs. LOOSE GUTTER SPIKES AT MY GUTTER PRO Although screws usually come with aluminum spacers, you can also reuse those previously installed on your gutter. Nevertheless, ensure that they’re in good condition.

It is also important to mention that if you are about to inspect any internal area, particularly if there are a considerable number of pigeons in situ, it would be wise to wear a paper face mask. This is because well-dried pigeon excrement, when disturbed and inhaled, can cause minor irritation to the bronchial passages. There is no health risk as such, just take sensible precautions, as you would when in any environment where there are wild birds or animals. Although much is made of the potential for pigeons to pass on diseases to humans, it is almost unheard of for this to happen. Every species of bird, including domesticated birds, has the potential to carry and pass on diseases to other birds and humans, but the realistic chance of this happening to anyone that is installing deterrents on their property is virtually zero. For more information on cleaning products and protective clothing please read the Cleaning and Sanitising product/service review.

Industrial

The industry standard method of protecting guttering and hoppers is to use anti-roosting spikes. The Defender™ Gutter Spike is the best option to protect guttering and hoppers of all types with an almost instant installation, courtesy of the integral attaching clip which clips the whole assembly to the outer lip of a gutter or hopper in seconds. The Defender™ Gutter Spike is the only spike assembly available on the market that protects the whole of the gutter including the leading edge and the gutter itself. Step 1 - Clean the Area: Make sure the gutters are empty of leaves and debris. If a bird has already been nesting or roosting in the guttering it may be heavily soiled with droppings. If this is the case please see our "How to safely clean bird droppings guide" guide for more in-depth details. Specialised anti-roosting spikes are really the only option, over and above the system previously described, for protecting windowsills where the windows open inwards/outwards and where the gap between the base of the window and the sill is less than 3”, irrespective of how wide or narrow the sill is. Of course, anti-roosting spikes are a commercial product, but the good news is that they are simple to install and a DIY installation is always possible, even for someone with only very basic DIY skills. Pigeons love pergolas and arbors. They offer a high-up, safe place to watch out for predators and identify food sources. The problem, in most cases, is that below them are beautiful patios, cars, pathways or seated areas which get covered in pigeon droppings.

In light of the potential to move your pigeon problem from one area to another when installing deterrents it is obvious that understanding and possibly eliminating the source of the problem should, wherever possible, be a part of your control programme. If your building is in a town or city centre location, whether it is commercial or residential, the source of your pigeon-related problem is very likely to be as a result of someone feeding the birds in a public park or even on the pavement within sight of your building. In this case, and particularly if you have identified the person or people who are feeding, a call to your council may be the most productive step in the first instance. If the feeder can be stopped, and if you have adequately protected your property with pigeon deterrents, then you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you have taken every reasonable step to both protect your property and to deal with the source of the problem. Besides that, the regular run-down of water into your home makes it prone to microbial growth. That said, molds and bacteria pose health risks to your household. Final Thoughts Many churches and other buildings with similar architectural features are now being converted to residential and commercial usage and, as a result, residents and tenants are having to find ways of controlling pigeon populations that have historically used this building type for the purpose of overnight roosting and breeding. Churches and pre 20th-century buildings are commonly used by pigeons due to the extensive roosting and breeding opportunities afforded them by the complex architectural features. Not only this, but churchyards are regularly used by people wishing to feed pigeons and therefore it is not only possible to experience entrenched overnight roosting problems but also daytime perching issues where the birds are exploiting a food source. Once the screw hooks have been installed a small spring should be hooked onto each one. The fishing line or steel wire should then be attached to the other end of each spring and pulled as tight as possible without stretching the springs. Each span of wire or line should be able to take the full weight of a pigeon landing in the centre of the span without the wire or line touching the sill, therefore tension is critically important. If, once provided, the wire does ground on the sill when a bird lands upon it, it will then be necessary to raise the height of the screw hook or to further tension the line or wire. It is extremely important to remember, however, that if the line or wire is too high pigeons will simply walk underneath it. Many commercially available systems fail to be effective for this very reason. Simply press the Gutter Spikes onto the guttering lip, using the integral plastic clips (shown on the above picture). The clips are on the outside edge of the guttering, positioning the bird spikes in the centre of the gutter.The deliveries below are for mainland UK, for Highlands, Channel and offshore islands an extra charge per consignment will be applied as below, we can also arrange Saturday delivery at extra cost. So now you will hopefully have a better idea of why the pigeons are on your property and therefore be in a much better position to choose the correct pigeon deterrent, assuming that it is pigeon deterrents that you need. It is not always the case that deterrents alone will resolve a pigeon-related problem, particularly where overnight roosting and breeding-related issues are concerned or where pigeons are being deliberately fed within sight of a building that is experiencing problems. Most types of exposed pipework can be protected by using DIY pigeon deterrents, but as with the installation of any type of deterrent, either DIY or commercially available, be aware that the excluded pigeons may move to another, more sensitive area of the property. So be aware of the implications of protecting your pipework before you start work and consider reading through the remainder of this section for advice on further DIY options should pigeons move to another area of your property once excluded.

When removing dependent birds it is critically important to understand that the works required to exclude the birds must be undertaken as soon as the birds have been removed from the soffit. Pigeons will re-lay eggs as soon as their nest/eggs/young have been removed, so to ensure that the problem does not immediately re-manifest itself arrange to start exclusion/repair works immediately that the dependent birds have been removed. Most period properties will have been fitted with sash windows and even if the windows have been replaced over the years most property owners will choose a like for like replacement window rather than fitting a modern UPVC window. Most sash windows are constructed from wood and will either be painted or varnished, but sash windows can also be sourced in UPVC. Sash windows always open up and down rather than inwards/outwards. If your property is fitted with sash windows it is likely that the property will be a period property and, as a result, is likely to have large and wide windowsills, a common feature on this type of property. This type of windowsill offers open opportunities for perching, roosting andem> breeding. There are three ways you can fix loose gutter nails—all of which are fairly easy. On top of that, you only need a few basic tools, such as a hammer and an electric screwdriver. Alternatively, if you choose to make an access point in one of the mesh walls then you will need to cut a hole out of one of the mesh panels that is large enough to push the food through onto the table. You will then need to cut another piece of mesh, approximately 1.0” larger than the hole you have made and then hinge it (by using electrical cable ties) over the hole. You have now made a door that can be opened and closed when filling the table with food and that is hinged via the electrical cable ties. To keep the door shut simply use two clothes pegs hooked over the base of the door and the mesh panel itself.You may need to drill new holes if the existing ones seem damaged. Otherwise, your gutter will sag sooner than you expect. Spikes on Plywood BoardBear in mind that the most expensive aspect of providing nylon netting at height is access, particularly if it is a light well that is being netted. This is because a light well will normally be located in the centre of a large building and therefore access is sometimes impossible and always problematic. The cost of access can often cost more than the operation to install the netting. Also, in many cases, period buildings that have light wells will also have complex roof lines, making the fitting of nylon bird netting far more difficult and expensive.