Defender® Installer of the Month | July | Essex Pest Proof Ltd

The winner of July’s Installer of the Month is none other than Dave Allen from Essex Pest Proof. This was awarded for the fabulous and innovative job bird-proofing with our Defender® Thistle® Spike. David came up with a great new way to install which impressed everyone in the Defender® office – more about this below.

David Allen, founded Essex Pest Proof Ltd back in 2012. He covers South East Essex carrying out pest control for ants and insects, rodents, wasps, squirrels, moths and of course pigeons. He prides himself on his quick response to both domestic and commercial pest control emergencies with most of his customers coming from recommendations from satisfied customers.

What you may not know about David is he is also a true Viking warrior and a musician. He has played the drums for a very long time, all over the country and into Europe. Born and bred in the realm of Essex, he is married with three grown-up children. He vanquishes both beast and bug alike alongside his valiant family - shield maiden Nicola and his son Jack. They relish protecting homesteads and reclaiming kingdoms.

So why did Essex Pest Proof Ltd win this most coveted prize? In Davids own words:

'Pigeons had been perching on the top edges of some solar panels on a summer house and defecating on the panels. After showing the client options, his preferred solution was using the Defender® Thistle®. These are a lower profile and look aesthetically more pleasing than traditional bird spikes. We then had to figure out how to fit them. After a bit of beard-stroking, we came up with a solution utilising speed clips from another supplier (1ENV). We snapped a couple of the spikes off the Thistle® and by Odin’s beard it worked.'

This had us immediately buying some speed clips ourselves and having a go in the office. It actually works and we think is a particularly innovative way to stop birds from landing on the top edge of a solar panel. This works well when the panel is angled away from the ground or roof, as some standalone portable panels are or indeed on a solar farm panel.

David also used our Defender® Thistle® on another brilliant example of bird-proofing. He used the spike around the front edge of a summer house/office. We loved this because it shows how we should and can live alongside birds which is incredibly important for our local ecosystems. The customer obviously didn’t want the birds sitting and defecating on the patio and entrance below, so Thistle® spikes were installed along the leading front edge, but the area behind and to the sides were left free. The birds can comfortably perch in those places and cause no trouble to the residents.

We asked David the Viking, what the most rewarding part of being a pest controller is:

'The most rewarding part of the job is when the skittering of many legs, the buzzing of wings, and the sinister rustling within the shadows has been silenced. In the grand halls of Valhalla, where the brave feast and the mighty revel, and the bards sing of our victory, we raise a mead filled drinking horn. '

We also asked why he liked to use our Defender® Bird Spikes:

"We love using the Defender® bird spikes. They have a larger footprint than some other spikes available and make the installation a lot easier. We utilise the Thistle®, and also the gutter spikes with the clips already attached, makes fitting them super quick. The customer service is excellent, but we’ve discovered that it’s better not to phone up at lunchtime as everybody’s eating their sarnies."

(For the record, we now don’t eat sandwiches very often at lunchtime so you are welcome to call!)

So huge congratulations to David, Essex Pest Proof Ltd and his Viking pest control clan. Thank you for using Defender Bird Spikes for your bird control jobs. All that remains is to finish in Davids's own words:

"Listen well, noble kin, as we embark on a quest to reclaim your domain from the winged marauders known as pigeons! With the wisdom of the ancients and the cunning of Freyja’s falcon, we shall drive these feathered intruders from your halls using the ancient tools of bird spikes. Behold, as we erect our defences, forged in the fiery forge of dwarven craftsmen and imbued with the essence of eagle-eyed vigilance. With the precision of master artisans, we install the mighty bird spikes, like the bristling spines of Yggdrasil, rendering your abodes impervious to the unwanted roosting of the pigeons."

What more can you want!

If you live in South East Essex and have a bird or pest control issue, do contact Essex Pest Proof Ltd. David and his valiant pest control heroes will vanquish your pests!