Adding a covered walkway is a great way to transform any school, hospital or business by providing a convenient, all-weather route between buildings. While our walkways are well protected against the elements thanks to their rust-proof aluminium design, animals can cause problems by building nests or leaving droppings. Here are a few simple tips to keep your walkway pest-free.
1. Keep your walkway clean
The easiest way to keep animals away from your walkway is to make sure they don’t have a reason to visit in the first place. Keeping your walkway free of litter and food scraps will stop it from attracting pests such as seagulls and rats. Any nearby bins should be well covered to make them inaccessible to animals. Regular cleaning of glass panels will also prevent them from becoming a habitat for spiders and insects.
2. Use your walkway regularly
Most small animals are afraid of humans, so regular foot traffic will ensure that your walkway doesn’t look like a tempting home. Encourage staff or students to use the walkway as much as possible to frighten away any animals that might be there.
3. Install bird scarers
Birds such as seagulls and pigeons can be a big problem, especially when it comes to products with a roof such as our wall mounted canopies. You can discourage birds from perching on top of your canopy by purchasing a bird scarer. There are many options available from fake falcons to balloons with eyes painted on them. For a more high-tech solution, you can opt for an ultrasonic repeller that emits a high-frequency noise to scare away birds. You should also keep an eye out for any nests and remove them as soon as possible.
4. Trim nearby trees
Overhanging trees can provide animals with an easy climbing route onto your walkway. Keep them trimmed back from the walkway to make it harder for animals to access. Of course, you must check if you have planning permission before cutting any trees, as some are protected by tree preservation orders.
5. Use an animal repellent on nearby plants
If your walkway is close to a garden or wooded area, certain plants might be attracting animals. Most garden centres sell animal repellents which can be applied to plants. These will not harm the plants but will deter dogs, cats, foxes from your walkway.
6. Install mouse and rat traps
This is not especially pleasant but, if you find yourself struggling with mice or rats in and around your walkway, installing traps might be your best option. If you are worried about animal cruelty, humane traps are available from most suppliers. It is essential to check and empty traps regularly to prevent them from becoming a hygiene risk. As a last resort, you could consider calling a pest control company who can remove the problem completely by finding and destroying the nesting areas of mice, rats, and other pests.