Defender Bird Spikes | Gutter Spike Pack | Stop Pigeons & Seagulls | 5 metre

Product Information

A combination of old leaves and debris which has broken down into a mulch, a good supply of rainwater and the best fertiliser (Pigeon guano) is the ideal recipe for plants to grow. We have all seen old buildings with beautiful buddleia growing up over the roof line! Seeds are brought up to the gutter line in the wind or in birds' poo, they germinate and grow undisturbed. 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. 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. An advantage of screws over nails is that they’re threaded, so they grind against the grain of the material they’re attached to. As a result, they have more holding power and are less likely to come loose. A combination of DIY options, as described above, alongside products such as anti-roosting spikes will provide the most cost-effective and the most comprehensive protection.

Once the mesh has been cut to size a decision must be made about whether the panel will be glued in place with silicone or whether a baton frame is to be used with the mesh stapled directly to the frame. If the panel is to be glued in place then all that will be necessary to do is to provide several blobs of silicone around the flat fascia of the window frame at regular intervals and then push the mesh into the silicone. Of course, it is important to clean the fascia first to ensure the silicone has a good clean surface to bind to. This completes the installation. Another area of your rainwater goods that may need to be protected from pigeons is the ‘hopper’, a V-shaped plastic or cast-iron funnel that connects your horizontal gutter to the vertical downpipe. Pigeons will use hoppers for both roosting and for nesting. It is common to find a pigeon nest built inside a hopper, particularly on period properties that have large cast-iron hoppers. A slumping gutter hanging over your head is the last thing you want in your home. Besides the danger it poses, it leads to structural damage as well. Many pigeon-related problems start in the garden, either as a result of the property owner themselves feeding wild birds or their neighbours doing the same thing. This is an extremely common catalyst for a range of bird-related problems. We are all encouraged to feed wild bird populations, particularly in the winter months when natural food levels are low, and as well as the small garden birds we sometimes attract pigeons and doves. When removing dependent birds it is critically important to understand that any works required to exclude adult birds must be undertaken as soon as the squabs or juveniles have been removed from the roof void. Whilst you are active within the roof void adult pigeons will normally stay away, but as soon as activity ceases the adults will return. Therefore, as soon as the last adult bird has been excluded from the roof void all the access holes must be closed immediately. Pigeons will re-lay eggs as soon as their nest/eggs/young have been removed, so failure to undertake exclusion works promptly will result in birds simply re-entering the space and starting to breed once again.

on Dormer Window It is these areas directly beneath the overhang/guttering of the dormer that are the most favoured roosting areas for pigeons. The slope can be constructed from any material but the smoother and more frictionless it is the more effective it will be. A piece of UPVC is ideal as it is light, easy to install and even if provided at a relatively passive angle a pigeon will be unable to perch upon it. Many dormer windows are constructed from UPVC and therefore this material will blend in. UPVC off-cuts can be sourced, normally free of charge, from a company that manufactures UPVC windows. If a material such as plywood is used it will be necessary to provide it at a steeper angle to ensure that the slope is steep enough so that pigeons cannot perch upon it. Gutters are designed to channel rainwater to a downspout, which leads to the ground. This function keeps your home safe from damage.

Be careful not to dent the gutter when doing this. That is why we suggest a rubber mallet. Normal metal hammers will scuff up the paint on the gutter spike, and damage the gutter if you’re not careful. CONCLUSION The integral clip on the Defender® Gutter Spikes slips over the leading edge of the gutter, whether half-round or square guttering. No other tools are required, no glue or any extra fixings! This positions the bird spike strip in the centre of the gutter while leaving a gap underneath to allow for the flow of rainwater. The pins of the spike fan out and act as a visual deterrent to stop pigeons approaching the gutter, but if they are determined to give it a try, the pins make it uncomfortable to land and they simply fly off and find another more accessible perch to sit on. Gutter spikes drive through the gutter and into the fascia board that is behind the gutter. If you have water getting behind the gutter in any way, that will start to soften and eventually rot the wood. Once this happens, the wood will no longer be able to support the gutter and the gutter will either start to pull loose, or sag in that area. Making sure that your gutters don’t get clogged will help prevent water from getting behind the gutter. DEBRIS/CLOGS When protecting period properties it is important, at the outset, to confirm whether the property is a listed property and graded as such. In the UK there is a system of grading buildings that are of historical or architectural significance, which, depending on the grade in question, can place comprehensive restrictions on the property owner in relation to what can be done to the property. This would include the provision of pigeon deterrents. Therefore, prior to undertaking any works it is important to confirm whether the property is listed, and if it is speak to the appropriate body (in the UK this would be the Listed Buildings Officer at the local council) to seek advice about what can and cannot be done.Accessing areas at height can be dangerous and not always possible without the use of specialist equipment and therefore we would only recommend the use of a ladder on a conventional two-storey house and only once a health and safety risk assessment has been undertaken. Where accessing and carrying out work to a soffit we would strongly recommend that a suitable platform, such as a scaffold tower or static scaffold, be used.