While You Were Out: Managing the Birds that Moved in During Remote Working
May 13, 2021
With workers beginning to return to the office, commercial and industrial buildings that stood mostly empty throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses may find themselves sharing an address with a population of feathered squatters.
Birds who made themselves at home over the past 14 months as many properties reduced their bird control services and shifted to required maintenance only will not be eager to leave their newfound sanctuaries just because the rest of us are ready to get back to normal.
Here’s what you may be facing and what you can do about it.
Rooftop HVAC units are prime real estate for many nuisance bird species. Geese and gulls love to use them as windbreaks for their nests, while birds like house sparrows, pigeons, and starlings prefer to nest in any open nook and cranny on the unit they can squeeze themselves into. These birds also love to sit on top of them and survey their territory, using that extra bit of height to gain a vantage point over the rest of the roof.
Protect Your Building from the Threat of Bird-Related Rooftop Health Risks
Birds leave behind quite a mess. Flying creates a need both for a very high metabolism and the frequent elimination of excess weight. In short, birds need to eat and poop frequently. What goes in must come out, as will be obvious by the condition of your rooftop.
While the mess is an issue for your company’s image, the bigger threat lies in the viruses, bacteria, and parasites that bird droppings contain. As waste builds up around the HVAC units, droppings get dry and the resulting dust can be pulled in by the air intake and dispersed throughout the building. This can create what is sometimes called “Sick Building Syndrome,” where people inside the building become sick as the result of pathogens in the indoor air. Bird droppings are also acidic and large accumulations can eat through both roof structures and the roof itself over time.
Even green roofs are not exempt!
Wild Goose Chase has been helping business owners and property managers keep their rooftops clean and healthy for over 20 years. We are experts in all nuisance bird issues and can restore your building’s health and safety with a roof inspection and clean up and the installation of deterrents and exclusions to keep birds away. Contact us today!
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