Ways Birds Damage Roofs and What to Do About It

Birds may seem pretty to many homeowners. However, others think that they create a multitude of problems with their home. For example, birds may make nests on top of a roof and cause damage to the roof. The issues below are just a few of the concerns you have to deal with when birds live in your home. Thankfully, these situations aren't impossible to manage.

When birds spend their lives on your roof, their fecal matter will pile up on your shingles. This problem is a significant concern because bird feces is, by its very nature, very acidic. Just look at the kind of damage that birds do to car metal and then imagine that damage on your roof. Your asphalt, wood, or even tin shingles won't last long under that acidic power.

As a result, you need to clean bird feces off of your roof whenever you notice it. This process requires either hiring a professional to power wash your roof or doing it yourself. Try to hire a professional whenever possible - and a roof repair expert as well - to ensure that your shingles are clean and in great shape for years to come.

Roof gutters provide more than a decorative element to a home and are one of the most critical water-control methods for your home. Unfortunately, birds may nest in gutters - for easy access to liquid refreshment - and stop the water flow. And, even worse, these clogs may cause damage to the gutters, spill damaging water on the roof, or also affect your foundation stability.

This problem is one of the toughest to manage because you need to remove the nest without hurting yourself or the bird. Call animal control and have these experts move the bird before you remove the clutter in the gutters. Then, make sure that your gutters are in good shape to ensure that water flows smoothly and evenly away from your home and its roof.

Lastly, birds on a roof will store a large amount of junk on your roof and in various enclosed areas. They'll not only bring debris for their nests but also other items that they may not need at the moment. In some cases, the bird may dispose of these items in your HVAC vents. Unfortunately, this may cause your unit to run improperly and wear down the motor more quickly.

As a result, you need to inspect your vents every month or so during the nesting season to ensure no birds have made their way inside. If you find debris inside the vents, remove it with gloved hands to ensure that air can flow smoothly. Check for nests in these vents as well and transfer them to avoid any further issues.

As birds hang out on your roof, they may start to peck at your shingles out of boredom. Others may try to tear away bits and pieces of the shingle - mainly asphalt and wood shingles - to use for their nests. Even these small tears will cause issues with your roof by increasing the chance of leaks.

If you notice a lot of birds pecking on your roof, chase them off and inspect the roof for damage. Identify shingles that need to be removed and either perform the repairs yourself or call a professional to do them for you.

After you eliminate birds from your roof and have assessed the spread of their damage, you need to fix your roof as soon as possible. If you wait too long, the problem will likely get worse. So when your roof needs repairs, and you don't know who to turn to for help, please don't hesitate to contact us at Econo-Roofing to get the repairs that your roof needs.