Protecting Solar Panels From Squirrels

The solar company installed a mesh screen around the perimeter of the array to keep those pesky squirrels from making a home and chewing the precious pv wire.

Protecting solar panels from squirrels.

Animals and birds can cause significant damage to the wiring of your solar panels and your roof shingles. Install a pest abatement system by my squirrel guard before it s too late. Because solar panels are installed with a gap between them and the roof for ventilation purposes critter guards and bird netting can be installed to block squirrels and birds from getting under and between your panels and causing costly damage. This can all be avoided though.

Winston said that the only good way to make sure that squirrels have not set up residence under your solar panels is by arranging periodic visual inspections. Stop squirrels going under your solar panel array. If you wait until you see the effects of the squirrels in system functioning you have a problem he said. How to protect your solar panels from critters to prevent critters from getting into the space between your panels and the roof use a wire mesh product that can attach to the frame of a solar panel.

The aperture size naturally has to be slightly larger however at 13x13mm this also prevents pigeons and other bird s from gaining access to the underside of the panels. Keeping squirrels off your roof is the first step in keeping them away from your solar panels. Our pole guard prevents squirrels from accessing roofs by climbing poles while our line guard minimizes roof access from power lines. It took a while but replacing those cables got the panels back to full.

Apparently squirrels simply enjoy biting on the chewy insulation that wraps around the cables that connect the panels. Squirrel guard is pvc coated aluminum fencing the wraps around your array to deter any critters large and small from making it their permeant residence. The squirrel guard is fastened to the frames of the panels and closes the gap between the roof and your solar panels. In all the last minute repair could cost a couple thousand dollars and a ton of frustration.

Chewed wires can result in non production of electricity and could also result in roof fires.