Waking up to the birds chirping seems like a peaceful and serene awakening, however, this cliché is far from the truth. If you wake up and there’s birds on your roof, you might first think you’ve got a few cute friends! This assumption would be incorrect as birds can be host to a wide range of problems.
Do Birds Cause Roof Damage?
Yes, birds can cause a lot of damage to your roof, repairs can be costly and an inconvenience to complete:
Acidic Droppings
You won’t be thinking of bird droppings as lucky after you encounter them in large quantities. If a bird has made its home on your roof, then it’s likely to have a lot of droppings on. Bird droppings are highly acidic as they contain uric acid. They can cause corrosion, weaken roof tar and help weaken roof shingles. You’ll need to make sure to clean your roof!
We offer bird droppings disinfectant spray to make this cleaning easy.
Gutters Get Clogged
It’s known for birds to nest in people’s gutters. They’re on a high structure and they also provide a water source so it’s tempting for a bird to make its home there. This causes the gutters to get blocked and a water build-up to occur. This makes water flow into areas where it's not meant to go such as roof layers, vents and more.
Risk of Fire
If a bird gets inside your building and into air vents, it might increase the risk of a fire breaking out. Birds use highly flammable materials to build their nests such as sticks and grass. This also reduces the quality of the air in the building and traps moisture which can damage your roof.
Chimney Visitor – Not Santa
Some birds like to nest in hollow trees and can see your chimney as the ideal home because of this. This allows smoke and carbon monoxide to linger in your house. Birds can also potentially slip and fall out of their nest and into your home. Make sure to keep your chimneys safe and clean.
Bird Prevention
There are a few tips to help you prevent these problems from happening in the first place. Or better yet, stop them from happening once and for all.
Clear Debris & Seal Holes
Before you start thinking of bird prevention products, you’re going to want to clear all the debris off your roof. Birds see this debris as materials they could use for building their nest. You’ll also need to seal any holes you have in your roof as birds see these as a place to go when it’s cold out and they need to warm up.
Bird Spikes
Placing bird spikes along your roof will make sure your roof is uncomfortable for birds, it’s one of the most effective ways to stop birds nesting on your roof. Bird spikes and quick and simple to install, they’re metal strips with thin spikes that you can place where birds like to sit. It’s important to note that these spikes don’t hurt birds, they just make it uncomfortable or impossible for them to perch on your roof.
BS Fixings stock a range of bird prevention spikes ideal for all of your requirements.
Decoys
There are plenty of decoys on the market for bird prevention including plastic owls, hawks, falcons and more have proven to be effective. You can also use lightweight kites to scare the birds away. This is fondly called the scarecrow tactic. Birds may learn that the decoy is fake so you might have to move it around.
Netting, Mesh & Vent Covers
If you’re having issues with birds getting into your vents, an effective solution would be to install netting, mesh or covers over them. This prevents birds from being able to enter your vents from the roof. You can purchase our stainless steel mesh here.
Gutter Guards
As mentioned before, birds can be responsible for clogging gutters or using the debris from already clogged gutters to create their nests. One way you can help to prevent either of these from happening is through installing gutter guards.
Capping Your Chimney
Similarly, chimneys can also be covered so you won’t have to worry about nests affecting the airflow in your house or our little friends flying into your home. BS Fixings offer spikes for chimney pots.
Gel
BS Fixings offer bird free gel which is used to deter birds away, they’re formulated so they appear as fire to the bird. As well as a visual deterrence, these gels also are unpleasant to a bird’s sense of smell, they’re quick and easy to install and they’re humane.
Home Remedies
There are a few home remedies you can try to get rid of these pests. Shiny & reflective objects sometimes discourage birds from landing on your roof, these objects can include CDs, mirrors and tin foil. Many people like to try a mixture of chili peppers, water and vinegar to crush, heat then spray over the roof. However, these methods are known to wash off and not last very long, so we’d advise investing in some of our bird prevention products.
