Pest birds cause tens of millions
of dollars of damage every year to buildings, machinery,
automobiles, roofs, ventilation systems and more.
Bird droppings and nesting materials which are allowed
to accumulate pose a host of physical problems which
can become very serious if they are not corrected immediately.
Damage to Roofs by Droppings
Bird droppings are very acidic in nature. They actually
eat away at many substrates, especially tar-based
roofing materials. Droppings which are allowed to
accumulate on roofs will eat into the material and
eventually cause leaks. The life expectancy of a warehouse
roof can be cut in half by just a light, but continuous,
application of bird droppings.
Damage to Roofs by Nests
Pigeon, starling and sparrow nests are often built
in rain gutters, drains and corners of roofs where
drains are located. Warehouses stand to experience
great damage, even collapsed roofs, when drainage
systems are blocked and standing water is allowed
to rise just six inches. A collapsed roof that resulted
in death or great physical damage could put a company
out of business.
Damage to Machinery
Acidic bird droppings can do great damage to air conditioning
equipment, industrial machinery, siding, insulation
etc. Not only is the equipment being damaged, but
workers are exposed to a dangerous health-risk any
time they work on or around the machinery.
Fires Started by Bird
Nests
Nesting materials are usually very flammable due to
their construction of straw, twigs and dried droppings.
When birds build their nests inside electric signs
or other machinery there is a great risk of fire.
Electric sign companies blame bird nests for many
of their sign fires.
Ventilation Systems
Blocked by Bird Nests
Bird nests built in chimneys and ventilation systems
can not only spread diseases through the system, but
can actually block airflow which can have horrible
consequences. People have been killed by carbon monoxide
poisoning because the exhaust system was blocked by
bird nests.
Automobile Finishes
Damaged by Bird Droppings
Most bird droppings, but especially pigeon and gull,
will fade paint finishes by actually eating into the
protective coating and the paint itself. The longer
the droppings are allowed to sit on the paint, the
more damage it will do.
Damage to Food and Other
Products by Bird Droppings
Birds flying around the insides of warehouses, airplane
hangars, factories and convention centers can wreak
havoc. Bird droppings can ruin plastics when they
are being molded, they can destroy any number of different
chemicals and liquids which are being manufactured,
they will ruin new and old paint jobs on aircraft,
and they can contaminate food which is being made
or packaged. These types of ruined products often
cost millions of dollars in waste.
Damage to Company Image
by Bird Droppings
Droppings and nesting materials on or around a building
send a message to the public that this building is
not properly maintained. One is forced to wonder how
clean a restaurant's kitchen could be if they don't
even care about bird droppings dripping down the sign.