Roof damage from birds: Yes, it’s a real problem

Birds may be wonders in aerodynamic efficiency and beauty, but when they get a foothold on your roof, they can cause serious problems. Roof damage from birds isn’t a topic often discussed, but it’s one that homeowners in Forsyth should know about. There’s actually several things you can do to prevent roof damage from birds.

The damage

Birds may seem innocent enough, but once they have decided to settle on your roof, the damage begins.

• Droppings: Birds feast on a regular diet of acidic items, including roofing materials constructed from tar. As a result, their droppings are also acidic. Over time, their droppings eventually eat away at the shingles and sheathing. Left unchecked, disintegrating roofing will leak and cause problems inside the home’s structure.
• Nests: When birds take up residence on your roof and make nests in drains and gutters, these nests block the proper drainage of water, which can lead to a host of problems, including standing water on the roof.
• Fires: Nests that come in contact with electrical wires are a fire hazard, especially if weather conditions are dry or the wiring is exposed.

Preventing problems

The best way to prevent roof damage from birds is to keep the creatures off of your home. Here are a few prevention methods you can talk over with your roofing contractor:

• Depending on the roof, you may be able to apply a special sticky coating to keep birds off of the roof.
• If the roof is easily accessible, you can check it regularly and spray bird droppings off with a powerful garden hose. However, you’ll need to perform this task carefully so the power of the water doesn’t remove shingle granules.
• Bird deterrent devices are also effective. Some of the options include installing plastic spikes so birds can’t land on the roof, visual or audio measures that deter birds from the area and installing nets.

Findlay Roofing is happy to help our customers with roof damage from birds, the elements or neglect. Give us a call today to talk to one of our roofing specialists.

Image source: Flickr