Roof damage can happen in many different kinds of ways. Typically speaking, when we think of Roof damage our minds usually tend to fall into the idea of leaks and cracks that have ensued because of weather conditions, debris, rainfall, or extremely high-speed winds. It is quite true that storms and other types of weather conditions do have the power to cause some heavy-duty damage to your roof. You should know that is not the only way your grief can be destroyed.

Did you know little critters, cute and free wild animals have the power to destroy your rooftops as well? That’s true, the cutest of them can cause great damage, and getting a new roof becomes the priority.

What type of animals can be found on your roof?

In suburban neighborhoods across the United States where there are lots of woodsy and country areas nearby can definitely result in having many animal visitors to your roof. You may have never seen a bear jump on top of your roof and create damage. However, animals such as bats, raccoons, opossums, chipmunks, squirrels, and even certain types of insects can be major culprits in the ruin of your roof.

These cute and very active creatures have the power to do descriptive things to cause your shingle roof repair agents to come on the scene. Or, finding roofing contractors to come out and do a full-blown roof installation. Roofs are to create protection for your home against the threats of all types of weather conditions. They are not really designed to have repeated and destructive contact with humans or animals.

Certain wildlife animals like opossums, squirrels, and raccoons use their very sharp teeth and strong paws to create openings in the roof. That just spells all kinds of inconvenience that leads to leaks shortening the lifespan of your rooftop, mold, and wood that is rotting away. Those issues can also cause physical and health hazards if left undone.

Let’s not forget about bats and birds; they also can create more damage than most people realize just by nesting in the wrong areas of your roofs. If a burn or a bat decides to nest in a roof vent that can be quite detrimental. What ends up happening is the nest and the animals within end up blocking the air that flows out into what is considered the attic space. What happens is when the airflow does not move about properly it ends up causing damage to the overall structure of the roof and that is exasperated when temperatures are more extreme than normal.

How can you restrict animals from destroying your roof?

Perhaps, monthly you will want to engage in inspections of your rooftop making notes of any damage that you see. Also do not overlook animals that are nesting. Even if you don’t spot any damages, know that they eventually can be the problem that causes the damage.

Remove the bridge from your home to the critters. Meaning that you will want to trim back trees and shrubbery that is an extender that makes it easy for animals to hop from a branch onto your rooftop. That is one of the primary ways that they get access to your roof.

If you notice and having problems with birds landing on your roof there’s an easy fix where you can add anti-bird pikes around the edges of your roof. This prevents the birds from being able to nest and land there.

If there is any roof damage, even if it’s mild, seek to get it repaired as soon as you can. Any damage left unrepaired makes it that much easier for wild animals to create greater damage or even give them access to get into your attic space.

Do check your attic space. Yes, you will want to take trips up there occasionally to see if you notice any kind of animal debris or noises. Sometimes it can be hard to see from the outdoors if they have created an entry point. However, on the inside, you might be able to notice spots where they’ve chewed their own access point. It can be easier to see from the inside.

We do encourage you while inspecting your attic to wear a mask so that way you are not breathing in any potential animal feces or old insulation fibers that are in the atmosphere. You will also want to be aware of any wiring found in your attic sometimes that can be a telltale sign of critters within from the bite marks on any kind of wiring.

Don’t forget to mind your trash can. Trash around your house attracts animals of all sorts. The closer your trash can is to your home the more likely it will be to find animals roaming around other places like your roof to find other things to get into. Depending on the type of area you live in animals can be pretty persistent in getting into trash cans. One suggestion is to have your trash bags double bagged. It makes it harder for them to get inside. You can also place a rock or another solid on top of your trash can to make it harder for rodents to get inside.

For you techy people, you can even add on sensory lights to your trash cans. That way the closer they get to your trash cans the quicker your lights flash on and scare them away.

Another successful tactic is to spray down your trash can with Windex. You can do this on the inside and on the outside. The benefit to this method is that animals cannot stand the scent of ammonia and it scares them away. If you want to go the extra mile, you can also buy ammonia in bulk put some in a spray bottle, and have a more powerful effect. Another scent that animals tend to not like is the scent of mothballs. You can throw some into your garbage can before you take it out or around the trash can outside.

Be sure to check out your chimney on a regular basis believe it or not animals absolutely love chimneys it’s almost irresistible to them. Now unless you are skilled at climbing in and out of chimneys you might want to hire a roofing company. One of the greatest preventative methods is to have them check it on a regular basis.

Once animals get down in your chimney it can be very complicated to get them out. If that is something you are concerned about, one thing that you can invest in is a chimney cap. The caps will keep out little pests as well as rain and snow. Before you have a chimney Cap installed a good piece of advice is just to have the chimney inspected first. This is a very important move. If you install a chimney cap while an animal is living inside your chimney it can be quite an expensive mistake.

Why? Well if they can’t get out then they can pass away within the chimney causing foul odors and inconvenience. Also, if they have set up any nest in there it can be a great fire hazard when you decide to use your fireplace.

Check up on your gutters. Gutters can be the easiest place to overlook and forget that much debris can be found there. Best can give animals an opportunity to build their nest within the gutters. Gutters full of old nasty water can also attract insects that will also be intrigued by your roofing and begin to cause you problems. If they decide to hatch any eggs on top of your roof, that can be quite problematic.

You can also ask your local roofers about siding services.

Now, it can be quite a challenge to clean gutters on a regular basis. If you would like to avoid the extra work you can always add better parts to help keep debris and animals out of your gutters. They’re different types of gutters that you can employ depending on what your preferences are.

Foam gutter guards
Gutter screens with mesh covering
Sponge-like gutter guards
Hole or slit gutter guards

Try animal repellent. Repellent products that you can try out. Basically, it’s the scent that’ll drive them away. You can spray around your gutters or on your roof. See it as a rodent defense that they can’t stand once they get in the presence of the repellent.
It is better to try different techniques if you suspect animals being active on your roof. Otherwise, the more expensive routes will have to be employed like construction services, or a remodeling contractor.

What to do if you hear animal noises on your roof?

You may have never heard the scurrying noises it’s on your roof before, and suddenly you notice noises that aren’t there before. Here are some tips to get that under control, before it gets out of control.

If you have noticed some mishaps with your shingles and your vents those are probably due to squirrels. They like to eat through shingles and vents. You will want to keep them away from your propane gas equipment. Additionally, they are known to chew through electrical wires which in turn can be a fire hazard.

You can use repellent, but it’s not advisable to use poison. Why? because if they end up dying on your rooftop and you don’t know if they could be rotting on top of your roof and attracting more animals that may want to consume it. When in doubt seriously, leave it to the professionals and consider a professional pest control company or expert. That way you don’t have to fool around with different methods and can deal with the problem head-on.

In turn, you can be able to stop the problem before it gets more expensive. Having a professional come out can be costly, but even more costly is when your roof goes to ruin.

When you suspect that there might be animals trying to nest in your roof or eat their way through your roof, consider putting baits and traps to know for sure. This is a great strategy to try before you contact pest control.

If you happen to become aware of any entry points you can seal them off yourself or have a professional do it.

Be sure to watch the water that accumulates around your house. Believe it or not, animals and insects are drawn not just to the roof but where water has congregated around your house.
The thing about having rodents congregate around your house is that they can breed pretty quickly. The last thing you want is for a variety of rodents to breed around your house because that would amplify the issue of them potentially destroying your roof.

Just as a side note, it would not be a bad idea to consider a metal roof if rodents tend to be a major problem where you live. A Metal roof solves all your worries about your roof being destroyed by any rodent.

The bottom line is that you have to be proactive about the health of your roof, as it relates to animals. It can be a quick downward spiral and unnecessary costs can go sky-high. So, to recap if you suspect rodent activity on your roof, check it immediately. Don’t wait. Regardless of what you find start safeguarding your roof, trash cans, and the perimeter of your home. Looking into a siding service.

Do not forget to inspect the inside of your attic to make sure there is nothing harmful lingering in there. When in doubt, do not hesitate to hire local roofers to help you or give you counsel on what should be done next.