Birds are beautiful creatures until they ruin your Houston channel letter signs by building nests and leaving bird droppings. Many people don’t know that bird droppings are acidic and can easily damage surfaces. So what can a Houston business owner do to protect their beautiful 4D sign from birds? Take a tip from the 4D pros:
Ultrasonic
Ultrasonic sound devices are widely sold as bird deterrents. Generally, they only protect a small area, but these devices can easily be hidden. Humans can not hear the sound being emitted so it won’t be a nuisance. An even better idea is to buy an ultrasonic sound device with a sensor that only goes off with the movement from a bird.
Surface Repellant
If you’ve ever looked closely at a Buc-ee’s sign, you’ll notice spikes sticking up from the top of the letters. Why, you ask? This is another way to prevent birds from landing on your precious signage. Spikes, along with gels and sprays are widely sold and are very effective. The gels and sprays have an unpleasant odor and/or taste, thus warding off the birds.
Bird Netting
If bird netting is your first choice, be sure to purchase a bird netting that is nonflammable. Houston channel letter signs can get hot depending on the type of light being used, and you wouldn’t want the netting to touch the signage and catch fire. Make sure you follow the proper directions when installing a bird net above your signage. Improper installations can cause birds to get caught in the net. We want to deter the birds, not harm them!
Visual Deterrents
Just how scarecrows are used in fields to deter birds, other visual deterrents work just as well when it comes to signage. Fake owls work wonders for keeping birds away, but other options such as colorful, iridescent tape work just as well. The one downside to using fake animals is that if the fake animal is not moved every few days, the birds register it as not being a threat. Needless to say, this isn’t the best option if your sign is up high.
Remove The Nest
It should be noted that it is illegal to remove a nest while there are eggs in the nest. At that point, you must wait until the eggs have hatched and the baby birds have flown away to remove the nest. However, if there are not eggs in the nest, try removing part of it. The mother bird will continue to rebuild the nest, but will eventually get tired of rebuilding and move elsewhere.
Your Houston outdoor signs are the first thing that customers look for when arriving at your location. This should mean that you want that first impression to be a good one. Try out some of these tricks to keep your Houston signage looking clean. Tell us in the comments which option worked the best for you!