Plastic vs Metal Solar Panel Clips for Pigeon Proofing: Which Is Better?

If you are paying to pigeon proof your solar panels, the small clips holding the bird mesh in place matter more than they may seem.

The bird mesh can be made from a good material and installed neatly, but if the fasteners holding it to the solar panels fail, pigeons may eventually find an opening underneath the array.

For solar panel pigeon proofing in Arizona, we recommend metal clips over plastic clips.

We have worked on enough roofs to care much more about how the system will hold up over time than simply how it looks when the installation is finished.

Metal solar panel clips securing panels against pigeons

What Do Solar Panel Bird Mesh Clips Actually Do?

Bird mesh is installed around the outside perimeter of a solar array to physically prevent pigeons from getting underneath the panels.

The clips are what hold that mesh against the edges of the solar panels.

A typical installation has many fasteners positioned around the perimeter of the array.

Each one helps keep the mesh:

• Tight against the solar panels

• In the correct position

• Resistant to being pushed or pulled away

• Closed around areas pigeons may try to enter

This is why we do not think the clips should be treated as an unimportant part of the installation.

If the mesh is the barrier, the clips are what keep that barrier where it belongs.

What Are Plastic Solar Panel Clips?

Some pigeon proofing systems use plastic clips to attach bird mesh around solar panels.

Plastic clips can have some advantages.

They are lightweight, inexpensive, and easy to work with.

For a contractor trying to keep material costs low or complete installations quickly, plastic clips may seem appealing.

The problem is that solar panel bird proofing lives in one of the harshest areas of an Arizona home.

It sits on the roof every day exposed to intense sunlight and extreme temperatures.

That is where we become concerned about using plastic as a long term fastening material.

The Biggest Concern With Plastic Clips Is Long Term Durability

Our biggest issue with plastic clips is not how they perform the day they are installed.

It is how they may perform after spending years on an Arizona roof.

Plastic can become brittle as it ages and is repeatedly exposed to heat and sunlight.

Once a clip becomes brittle, it may be easier for it to crack or break.

If enough fasteners fail in one area, the bird mesh can begin pulling away from the solar panels.

That creates exactly the type of opening the pigeon proofing was installed to prevent.

From the homeowner's perspective, this can be frustrating because the mesh itself may still look perfectly fine.

The weak point may simply be the fastener holding it in place.

Why We Prefer Metal Solar Panel Clips

For our pigeon proofing work, we prefer metal fasteners because we want the attachment system to be as durable as the bird mesh it is holding.

Metal clips are stronger and do not have the same concern about becoming brittle like plastic.

That matters when the installation is expected to remain on the roof for years.

We would rather use a fastening system designed around long term strength than save a small amount on one of the most important parts of the installation.

The goal is not just to make the mesh look good when we leave.

The goal is to keep pigeons from getting underneath the solar panels over the long term.

One Broken Clip Does Not Always Mean Pigeons Can Get In

A properly installed bird mesh system should use many fasteners around the solar array.

If one individual metal clip ever fails, the surrounding fasteners may still continue holding the mesh against the panels.

That redundancy is important.

You do not want the entire installation depending on one or two attachment points.

This is one reason homeowners should look beyond the mesh itself and ask how it is actually being attached.

A good question to ask any pigeon proofing company is:

What type of clips are you using to attach the bird mesh to my solar panels?

And then ask:

Why do you use that type?

The company should be able to give you a clear answer.

Does Metal Mean the Clips Cannot Fail?

No.

We would never tell a homeowner that any bird proofing system is completely impossible to damage or fail.

Installation quality still matters.

The number of fasteners matters.

Placement matters.

The condition of the solar array matters.

And the way the mesh is fitted around corners and unusual areas matters.

Metal clips are simply the material we prefer because we believe they provide a stronger long term fastening method for this application.

A good material does not make up for a poor installation.

You want both.

The Mesh Material Matters Too

The clips are only one part of the system.

The bird mesh itself also needs to be something we are comfortable leaving on an Arizona roof for years.

At Cheetah, we recommend black PVC coated galvanized steel mesh for solar panel bird proofing.

The galvanized steel provides the structural strength of the mesh, while the black PVC coating adds another layer between the metal and the outdoor environment.

We prefer this over using basic exposed hardware cloth around the solar panels.

That is a separate topic worth discussing in more detail because the mesh itself can become another weak point if the wrong material is used.

Why Arizona Makes Material Choice More Important

Arizona roofs are rough on outdoor materials.

Solar panel bird proofing spends its entire life exposed on the roof.

There is little reason for us to choose a weaker fastening option when a more durable alternative is available.

This is particularly important because most homeowners are not going to climb onto the roof regularly to inspect every clip.

You may not notice a problem until the mesh has already begun pulling away or pigeons start getting underneath the panels again.

We would rather think about that during the original installation.

How Can You Tell What Clips a Company Is Using?

Ask before the work begins.

You can ask:

Are the clips holding the bird mesh metal or plastic?

You can also ask the company to show you the material.

It is a small detail, but it tells you something about how the company approaches the installation.

You can also ask for close up photos of previous jobs.

Do not only look at a photo taken from the driveway.

Look closely at:

• How the mesh is attached

• How many fasteners are being used

• How corners are handled

• Whether the mesh is sitting tightly against the panels

• Whether there are visible gaps

• What material the mesh and clips are made from

Those details can matter much more than whether the finished job looks clean from 30 feet away.

Are Plastic Clips Always Bad?

We would not say that every pigeon proofing job installed with plastic clips is automatically going to fail.

There are different products and different installation methods.

Our position is simpler.

If we are choosing between plastic and metal clips for a long term solar panel pigeon proofing installation in Arizona, we would rather use metal.

The small savings from using plastic clips are not worth much to us compared with the importance of keeping the bird mesh secured to the array.

What Should You Ask Before Hiring a Solar Panel Pigeon Proofing Company?

Before choosing a company, ask more than what the total price will be.

Ask:

• What type of bird mesh do you use?

• Is the mesh galvanized steel?

• Is it PVC coated?

• Are the clips metal or plastic?

• How many attachment points will be used?

• How do you handle corners and unusual sections of the array?

• What happens if a fastener fails?

• What does your warranty actually cover?

• Can you show me close up photos of previous installations?

The lowest quote is not necessarily a bad quote.

The highest quote is not necessarily the best installation either.

What matters is understanding what materials and installation method you are actually paying for.

Our Recommendation: Metal Clips

For solar panel pigeon proofing, Cheetah recommends metal clips rather than plastic clips.

They are one small part of the overall system, but they have an important job.

The bird mesh needs to stay securely against the solar panels to continue blocking pigeons from getting underneath the array.

For the same reason, we pay attention to the type of mesh, how the perimeter is installed, how corners are handled, and how many fasteners are securing the system.

If you are comparing pigeon proofing companies in Arizona, ask them what type of clips they use.

It may seem like a small question.

It can tell you a lot about the installation you are buying.

If pigeons are nesting underneath your solar panels and you want to see how Cheetah approaches the entire job, visit our solar panel pigeon proofing service or use our online estimator to get pricing for your home.

Or call (623) 300-1924