Bird Free Fire Gel Repellent Still Effective After 10 Years

The sunny spring weather means many of us have been spending more time outdoors. But sadly, our outdoor spaces are often plagued by problematic birds and the mess they cause. In our latest post we look at how Bird Free Fire Gel is an effective, humane way to keep those birds at bay.

Feral birds, especially pigeons and seagulls, can cause a wide range of problems, particularly in urban areas. Springtime is when many birds build their nests and raise their young, so if they have chosen your rooftop or property as their nesting site you can face problems in getting rid of them. Its important to remember that in the UK all wild birds are protected by law and cannot be interfered with, except under licence. But it is possible to keep birds away using non-lethal bird control methods.

Restricting access to food is a primary recommendation. Birds will often establish their homes where food is readily available so the proximity of accessible rubbish bins, for example, can attract problematic birds. The video above demonstrates how a huge number of feral pigeons would congregate on a rooftop adjacent to an area where they were regularly fed.

Physical barriers, including anti bird netting, are often used to prevent birds from landing, roosting and building nests where they are not wanted. And making areas less attractive to birds by deploying anti-bird spikes, or using various bird scaring devices, can also have some positive impact. But Bird Free Fire Gel is increasingly recognised as the most reliable and effective way to humanely keep birds away from wherever they aren’t welcome.

Feral birds and their nests can, as noted, cause a wide range of often very serious problems and risks. Here are some examples that should be noted.

Structural Damage Caused by Birds

Bird droppings are highly acidic. Acidic bird mess can cause serious corrosion to building materials including concrete, brickwork, stone and metal. If flocks of birds are regularly congregating in a specific area the mess they create quickly accumulates and is likely to cause damage that can be very expensive to repair.

Bird nests and detritus is also a well known cause of blocked drainage gutters. When these vital systems become blocked, rainwater can cause significant water damage, damp and even more costly repairs. And when birds build their nests on rooftops they can sometimes displace roof tiles and slates.

Health Risks from Bird Droppings and Nests

Bird droppings are well known to carry harmful bacteria and fungi. The last thing you want, anywhere near outdoor eating areas, is an accumulation of bird droppings or bird nests.

Histoplasmosis, for example, is a fungal infection caused by inhaling spores from bird droppings, leading to respiratory issues. In severe cases this can be fatal. In the USA a construction worker, exposed to accumulated pigeon droppings when cleaning an old building, inhaled dust from dried bird excrement, contaminated with Histoplasma Capsulatum spores. The serious infection spread from his lungs to other organs and the poor man died.

Cryptococcosis is another fungal disease affecting the lungs and nervous system, linked to bird droppings. A number of pigeon breeders are reported to have developed cryptococcosis, leading to lung infections and meningitis, after handling pigeon nests and droppings. And a homeless man, sleeping near a pigeon-infested bridge, died from cryptococcal meningitis after inhaling spores from dried pigeon droppings.

Psittacosis (Ornithosis) is a bacterial infection causing pneumonia-like symptoms, spread through dried bird droppings and dust. In the UK, a family of four became ill after removing a seagull nest from their roof. Blood tests confirmed psittacosis, traced to inhaled dust from dried seagull faeces.

Salmonella bacteria in bird droppings can contaminate food and water sources, leading to food poisoning. In Lancashire, more than 300 people became ill with Salmonella gastroenteritis due to seagull droppings in a reservoir of drinking water.

E.coli and other pathogens exist in bird droppings which is why its essential to be aware of the risks associated with birds and the mess they create. Water testing at beaches in the UK discovered antibiotic-resistant E.coli strains matching those in seagull faeces. Swimming in contaminated water resulted in gastrointestinal illnesses.

Bird nests will also often harbour a number of parasites including mites, ticks and fleas. Nesting materials, dead birds along with leftover food will also attract rats and mice.

Vehicle and Property Damage

As noted, structural damage caused by acidic bird droppings can be very serious and expensive to repair. Those acidic bird droppings are also detrimental to vehicles, outdoor furniture and outbuildings. Droppings on cars, boats and furniture are likely to damage the finish if not cleaned away quickly. And bird droppings on solar panels is another problem as accumulation can adversely affect their efficiency and be expensive to clean off.

Fire Hazards Caused by Bird Nests

When examining the negative impact of bird mess and nests its important not to overlook the fire hazard caused by bird nests. Dry nesting materials are highly flammable and birds will sometimes build their nests in very risky locations. Lighting fixtures and electrical shop signage are particularly prone to attracting bird nests that can potentially catch fire. And there was a reported case in which a bird carried a lit cigarette back to its nest on a Stockwell building’s rooftop in London, causing a fire that required nine people to be evacuated.

Detrimental Business Impact

Droppings on pedestrian walkways, especially at entrances to businesses and railway stations, causes a significant slip hazard. As well as being dangerous, the appearance is highly detrimental to the business. Signage that’s streaked with bird mess looks very unattractive and doesn’t convey a positive business image.

Frightening and Aggressive Birds

When birds are nesting and protecting their young they can become aggressive toward both people and their pets. In Cornwall a postal worker suffered a significant head injury when an aggressive seagull attacked him on his delivery round. And in another serious case a seagull, snatching a sausage from a child’s hand, pecked off part of the toddler’s finger.

How to Deploy Bird Free Fire Gel to Keep Birds Away

Wherever birds are causing a problem Bird Free Fire Gel will keep them away. Balconies, for example, can attract unwanted birds that pollute these valuable spaces with their mess. Patios and outdoor seating and entertainment areas are also often polluted with dangerous bird droppings. Rooftops and solar panel arrays are also highly attractive to birds for roosting and nest-building. And shop signage, lighting and property entrances are also often subjected to unwanted bird attention.

Bird Free Fire Gel is a clever concoction of harmless, natural ingredients which emits ultraviolet light. While this UV light is invisible to humans, birds can see it. And to them, UV light resembles the appearance of fire, which they will naturally avoid.

The gel also contains peppermint oil which is another powerful bird deterrent. The immediate impact of Bird Free Gel deployment is apparent in the video at the top of this post. Dishes of this effective bird repellent were harmlessly distributed across this rooftop, where a large flock of feral pigeons would regularly congregate. The video clearly shows birds approaching the protected roof area, turning away as they perceive what appears to them to be flames.

Before Bird Free Fire Gel is installed its important to clean and prepare the installation site. This must be done with caution using appropriate cleaning materials and always while wearing sensible protective clothing, gloves and a face mask.

The wide variety of environments where pest birds can cause problems each present specific deployment challenges for Bird Free Fire Gel. The gel is contained in pre-loaded dishes that need to be placed and secured at regular intervals, spaced according to the density of the bird problem. Installation requirements for a sloping rooftop are clearly not the same as those required for a small balcony or patio. This is why we offer a range of versatile installation options.

Standard Bird Free Gel Dishes: These are simply fixed in place using a weatherproof silicone adhesive. This form of installation is typically used for rooftops and other areas that might be flat or sloping.

Magnetic Bird Free Gel Dishes: These dishes include magnets that enable the dishes to be quickly attached to any ferrous metal surface. This form of installation is particularly useful for a variety of environments including bridges, walkways and locations where bird mess can be dangerous for workers.

Railings and Pipework Pack: This installation format is the most popular. Dishes of Bird Free Fire Gel are attached to railings or pipework using cable ties that are affixed to the Bird Free Fire Gel dishes with self-adhesive pads. Anywhere birds like to congregate and roost can be immediately protected by attaching some dishes of Bird Free Fire Gel.

Roll Up Balcony Matt: In response to the needs of those with balconies and patios where birds are causing problems we came up with our popular roll up balcony matts. These are available in 4 or 8 dish options and each uses a collection of magnetic Bird Free Gel Dishes that stick to matts. These are conveniently rolled up and packed away when the area is in use and then quickly and easily re-deployed when needed.

Bird Free Fire Gel Remains Effective for Many Years

Dishes of Bird Free Fire Gel are left outdoors, all year round, often in very grimy and weather-beaten locations. People naturally want to know how long it remains effective.

Bird Free Fire Gel is the only bird repellent gel fully authorised by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for use in the UK based on proven efficacy. Examination and data analysis has clearly demonstrated how this bird repellent will remain effective for a minimum period of 4 years.

In fact, there are now many sites that have Bird Free Fire Gel installations that have provided total bird repellent control for more than 8 years. At Kings Cross Station in London, Bird Free Fire Gel was installed 10 years ago and although the dishes have become covered with airborne dust, the bird repellent is still effective today. Dishes of bird repellent gel were first deployed in April 2015 and when re-inspected in April 2025 it was confirmed that birds were still being kept away.

For more information on Bird Free Fire Gel Repellent Still Effective After 10 Years talk to Insight Security