Birds can be fascinating to observe and lovely to listen to when chirping away in the trees. However, when they put themselves on your roof, this quickly changes. Birds can destroy your roof.
The good news is that there are ways to keep birds off your roof. Let’s find out how.
Why Birds on Your Roof are a Problem
Before we explore the solutions for keeping birds off your roof, it’s important to be aware of the reasons why birds end up there in the first place. Some of the common issues include:
1. Damage to Property
Bird droppings are acidic and can corrode roofing materials, gutters, air conditioning units, and paint. Nests can clog drains and vents, potentially leading to water damage or fire hazards.
2. Health Risks/h3>
Birds can carry over 60 diseases, including histoplasmosis, cryptococcosis, and salmonella. Their droppings and nesting materials may also carry mites, ticks, and fleas, all of which pose a risk to people and pets.
3. Noise and Mess
Once birds find themselves at home on your roof, you will certainly know about it. Persistent cooing, chirping, and fluttering can be disruptive, especially if birds roost in large numbers.
The mess they leave behind, such as feathers and nesting debris, also adds to the level of frustration.
What Attracts Birds to Your Roof?
Birds don’t pick roofs at random, they go where they find themselves most at home.
Just like us, birds look for somewhere with shelter, warmth, and are provided with food. Unfortunately, most of the time, a roof ticks all of these boxes.
Flat or gently sloped rooftops are ideal perches. They’re high enough to stay safe from predators and wide enough to rest or spot food nearby. Roof edges, chimneys, vents, and even solar panels can seem like prime real estate to a bird looking for a cosy spot to nest.
Birds have an incredible ability to sniff out food. Overflowing bins, pet food bowls left outside, crumbs from outdoor sitting areas, or even fruit trees dropping fruit onto the ground can attract a bird’s sense of smell.
The Best Ways to Keep Birds off Your Roof
Are you ready to keep your roof bird-free? Here are some of the best ways to do so.
1. Install Roof Spikes
Roof spikes are one of the most effective tools for preventing birds from landing on your roof. This tool consists of narrow rods or spikes that are made of plastic or metal. This makes it highly uncomfortable for birds to land on your roof without harming them.
Where is the best place to install roof spikes? Roof spikes can be installed in a variety of places, including:
- Roof ridges
- Ledges
- Gutters
- Chimneys
Bird spikes are easy to install and work best for preventing larger birds, such as pigeons and seagulls, from landing on your roof.
2. Use Bird Netting
If birds are nesting under solar panels or squeezing into tight corners, you may find bird netting to be your next best friend. Bird netting is simply a physical barrier that is effective for keeping birds out of those tricky and hard-to-reach access points on your roof.
These specific spots include solar panels, chimneys, roof ventilation, or anywhere they might try to sneak in and start building nests.
This method is not about trapping or harming birds, but simply giving them a message that this spot is not accessible. Here are some additional tips on how to get the most out of bird netting:
- Make sure that the netting is kept tight and secure properly. If the netting is loose, birds can still find a way in and are very clever when they want to be.
- Roofs absorb a large amount of sun rays, so choose durable netting. It’ll last longer and save you the hassle of replacing it all the time.
- For extra stubborn birds, you can use bird netting with other tools like bird spikes as an extra layer of defence.
3. Install Visual Bird Deterrents
Birds may be bold, but they’re not fearless. They’ll often avoid anything that looks like a predator or feels unsafe.
This is where visual bird deterrents come into play. This is a clever way of tricking birds into being more cautious. Here are some visual deterrents you can try:
- Fake owls or hawks – These decoys mimic natural predators and can be placed on your roof to convince birds to stay clear.
- Reflective tape or foil strips – The sunlight bouncing off reflective objects can create an unsettling environment for birds, preventing them from landing on your roof.
- Garden spinners – Colourful spinning decorations in your garden can be very effective for creating a distraction for birds and creating an unstable environment for roosting spots.
4. Limit Food Sources
Birds will stick around if they’ve found an easy meal. To prevent this from happening, it is important to remove potential food sources such as:
- Bins that have been left open
- Bird feeder
- Pet food left outside
- Fallen fruit from trees
When cutting off the food supply, you are sending off a clear message. The fewer temptations, the fewer birds you’ll have landing on your roof.
The Importance of Long-Term Maintenance
Keeping your roof bird-free isn’t just a one-time job. This type of job requires regular attention and monitoring. A little bit of maintenance and monitoring now and then can be very effective in preventing birds from returning to your roof.
Replacing a roof damaged by birds can vary depending on the type of roof you have but this typically costs on average around £650. However, the cost of bird proofing often varies based on different factors but costs between £300 to £1000.
Here are some tips on how to keep your roof bird-free:
- Inspect your roof regularly
- Reapply or adjust deterrents if needed
- Keep up with roof maintenance and gutter cleaning
- Make others aware not to feed birds near the property
Total Gleam’s Got You Covered
Are you tired of birds nesting on your roof or dealing with bird droppings? At Total Gleam, we are here to help by providing reliable and affordable bird-proofing solutions.
With over 25 years of experience, our team knows exactly how to keep birds from making themselves at home while on your roof.
Our bird proofing services are not only effective but also eco-friendly, fast, and tailored to suit your needs.
So if birds nesting on your roof is becoming a regular problem, let’s solve this right away. Get in touch with our team today, and we’ll help you keep your property clean, safe, and bird-free for the foreseeable future.