6" deep is perfect and strong to fit snugly on the roof around our solar panels. Our previous pest/bird screen installed by the solar company was not as reliable and worked well for the pigeons. But a squirrel came onto our roof and was able to build a nest under our panels and chew on the wires on the panel. We did our research bought and installed this cable protector and are very happy with the results. I'm pretty sure our solar company is currently transitioning to this product. This could be a DIY project if your roof pitch is safe. It's important NOT to use cheap pressure Go to the Squirrel Guard Wire website and purchase strong plastic screw terminals that can be tightened and will not slip off over time.