by Alex A. KecskesIf you own or manage a public or private fitness center or workout gym, you know that one of the main reasons your customers have selected your gym is its cleanliness. Nobody wants to workout in a gym that looks unclean. That clean look starts with the outside, with spotless signage, clean doors and walkways, and lots of clean windows. If your workout gym is like most, you'll have lots of windows and even skylights to brighten up the interior areas. This is where pest birds can cause you lots of grief.Problem: Pest birds of all sizes and shapes can ruin the spotless clean image of your fitness center or workout gym. For starters, their droppings on windows and skylights can create quite an unsightly mess. So customers working out on stationary cycling machines, elliptical trainers, treadmills and other aerobics classes will see and smell bird droppings. This is not what they signed up for. Another problem with pest birds is that they like to nest and roost on your facility's roof and A.C. units. Which means dried bird dropping dust will be sucked into your facility. As you may know bird droppings can carry any of 60 diseases. Then there's the problem of bird debris and droppings causing a breakdown in you're A.C. units. Imagine your customers working out during the summer with no A.C. They won't put up with that for long. Finally, if your gym has an outdoor area for pools, spas, workouts or just relaxing in the sun, pest birds are the last things you need hovering around your guests. Fortunately, you don't have to put up with pest birds if you have the right deterrent. Solution: While there are a number of strategies you can employ to rid your facility of pest birds, some are more popular than others for commercial properties like fitness gyms. One preferred approach is to use what is known as Bird Proof Electric Flat Track. Using this low-profile, electrical track system is most effective against a variety of pest birds. The electrified tracks impart a mild electrical shock the very second any bird dares to land on it. Flat electric track is ideal for fitness gyms and similar high profile image businesses because it is virtually invisible. When installed, the electrified tracks are just 1/4-inch at their highest point. They are available in four colors--grey, stone, black and terracotta--which means they blend in perfectly with your facility's exterior facade. The best electric flat track is made from a flexible U.V.-protected PVC base that easily conforms to your facility's curved rooflines or parapet walls (the tracks can be bent a full 360 degrees without damaging them). Bird proof electric flat tracks are highly effective in discouraging pigeons, sparrows, gulls, starlings or crows from fitness centers and gyms. They are easy to install and are powered by an A.C. charger or solar charger. The tracks emit a very mild electric shock that will not harm birds or maintenance crews. It's just enough voltage to convince pest birds to stay away. One of the best electric flat tracks has a patented "anti-arcing" design for added safety. This track also features a tin-plated copper knitted wire mesh in a continuous “tube-in-tube” stocking design. This configuration allows for more conductivity, reliability and strength. The copper mesh resists corrosion and the alkalis and acidic environments of outdoor installations. Keep in mind that the best defense is a good offense, so it's prudent to install the Bird Proof Electric Flat Track now, before the pest birds arrive and inundate your facility with bird droppings.