Insight Security

Bird Free Spacing - 90 Second Insight

08-08-2024

In the next of our bite-size 90 Second Insight videos we look at how to effectively deploy dishes of our widely acclaimed Bird Free Fire Gel repellent.

Summer is the time of year when many of us want to make the most of the outdoors. Those who are lucky enough to have gardens and possibly patios, want to enjoy these valuable outdoor spaces. And people with balconies naturally want to sit outside and enjoy the cooling summer breeze. Unfortunately, our domestic outdoor spaces also attract unwanted birds such as seagulls and pigeons. Their nests, detritus and poop can harbour a wide range of harmful diseases along with parasites. And particles from dried bird droppings can cause respiratory complaints so people really want to keep troublesome birds away.

Public spaces, buildings and shops are also often plagued with unwanted, problem birds at this time of year. Mess from birds, roosting on signage above a shop entrance, can present a serious, slippery hazard to shoppers and make the shop signage look terrible. Railway stations are also often troubled by large groups of congregating pigeons, nesting and roosting in the rafters and polluting pedestrian walkways below.

Our Bird Free Fire Gel has now been in use, worldwide, for over 20 years. Many case studies have demonstrated its efficacy in all manner and size of installation, from domestic balconies to large scale roof tops, railway stations, educational establishments and industrial premises.

Totally Harmless

When considering any form of pest control its always important to examine the potential impact on humans and creatures that might come into contact with it. For example, BBC Springwatch recently highlighted how flea treatments, commonly used on cats and dogs, are poisoning our waterways and threatening the entire food web by killing off insects in vast quantities.

Bird Free Fire Gel is totally harmless to birds, animals and humans. Its a proprietary gel mixture that presents a 3-way bird deterrent.

The primary element is the pyranine in the gel, the same colouring agent used in highlighter pens. This clever ingredient fluoresces when exposed to UV radiation, causing the gel to emit ultraviolet light. To birds this light looks like a flickering, naked flame which prompts their natural response to stay away. This attribute is why the substance is known as ‘Fire Gel’

The second way the gel deters birds is exploiting their smell and taste senses. Bird Free Fire Gel contains harmless peppermint oil, giving it a peppery aroma. Studies have shown how birds stay away from substances that emit peppery, menthol vapours.

And the third aspect of this effective formulation that birds don’t like is its viscous property. This can cause the gel to stick to their feathers, which they try to avoid.

bird free fire gel kensington rooftop — **Bird Free Fire Gel Dishes Keeping Birds Away from Kensington Rooftop**

Bird Free Gel Deployment

Bird Free Gel is supplied in small, pre-loaded dishes that are just 8mm in height and 65mm diameter. These small, low level dishes allow the deterrent to be easily and unobtrusively deployed in all manner of installations, from large scale rooftops and bridges to individual window ledges.

There are now many installations of this highly effective bird deterrent all over the world. They range from small, domestic installations on balconies, patios and window ledges, to much larger scale, challenging installations at railway stations, hospitals and educational establishments.

Although our documentation highlights how the gel remains effective for over five years, feedback from live installations demonstrate how the gel has remained highly effective for over 8 years. And furthermore, it can withstand environments in which particulate air-borne pollution is very high, such as at railway stations. The UV bird repellent properties of the gel remain effective even when the gel is coated and blackened with pollution.

When considering the installation and deployment of Bird Free Fire Gel its beneficial to identify how the birds are using the area where the problem exists. Are they nesting there? Are they roosting there during the day time? Or are they roosting there at night? Or is the area used by birds for all three of these?

Optimum spacing of Bird Free Fire Gel dishes is important. This consideration determines how many dishes are needed for a particular area. Experience, accumulated over the past 20 years of worldwide use, has informed the determination of optimum dish spacing.

For nesting areas, dishes need to be relatively closely spaced at intervals of 15cm or 6 inches (centre to centre), in a grid pattern. This is the configuration found to be most effective in highly challenging installations where problem birds were regularly returning to nesting sites.

Night roosting areas can be considered to be medium pressure sites and dishes deployed in these spaces can be effectively installed at 20cm or 8 inch intervals.

Day roosting areas can be considered to be relatively low pressure sites and the dishes of Bird Free Fire Gel can be effectively spaced at 25cm or 10 inch intervals.

bird free fire gel covent garden rooftop — **Bird Free Fire Gel Protecting Covent Garden Rooftop**

We understand the challenges involved in deploying multiple dishes of Bird Free Fire Gel which is why we supply these dishes in a number of useful formats. These include dishes that can be magnetically attached to ferrous metal structures, such as bridge and steel girders. Our cable-tied dishes are another popular option that enable Bird Free Fire Gel dishes to protect hand rails and pipework from unwanted roosting birds.

We’ve also developed our easy-to-use balcony protector pack that consists of a rubber matt with a number of pre-attached dishes of Bird Free Fire Gel. Birds respond immediately to the presence of Bird Free Fire Gel so our balcony protector pack is a quick and easy way to effectively chase them away from precisely where they are not wanted.

bird free balcony protector 8 dish mat — **Bird Free Fire Gel Balcony Protector Pack**

Essential Pre-Installation Cleaning

An important pre-installation requirement when deploying Bird Free Fire Gel dishes is the need to thoroughly clean and disinfect the area where birds have been a problem. This means cleaning away all previous nesting materials, dead bird carcasses and droppings. This must be carried out with caution while wearing appropriate protective clothing, goggles, facemasks and gloves.

Once the detritus and poop has been cleaned away the area needs to be disinfected to rid the site of any bird pheromones that might otherwise encourage them to return. See our Bird Free Fire Gel store page for everything you need.

How Many Dishes Are Needed?

When considering how many dishes of Bird Free Fire Gel are needed its simply a matter of assessing what the birds are using the site for, how big the area is and whether the dishes be fixed in place.

Our Balcony Protector Pack, for example, is purposely portable. This enables easy deployment to a balcony, patio or other area and allows the dishes to be picked up and taken indoors when the area is being used for relaxation and entertaining.

bird free fire gel installed on railings — **Bird Free Fire Gel Dishes Attached to Railings**

If the area is complex and involves steel girders and metal hand rails then the number of dishes required can be calculated based on the previously detailed spacing recommendations. For example, if birds tend to congregate and roost at night along long steel girders it would make sense to deploy dishes of Bird Free Fire Gel every 20cm or 8 inches.

For larger scale, flat areas such as rooftops, dishes should be deployed based on the previously detailed recommendations. If the area has been used for nesting then around 45 to 50 dishes per square metre will be needed.

Importantly, we understand how almost every bird deterrent challenge is unique. We have accumulated a vast wealth of knowledge and experience that enables us to devise effective bird deterrent strategies that will work in all situations. So we recommend you give us a call so that we can help determine exactly what’s needed.