Protect Gutters and Eaves From Birds | Ohio Roofing & Siding Co.

Pigeons, starlings, swallows, and other birds that nest in and around homes can be annoying. Not only do they leave a mess, but their hatchlings make a lot of noise and their nests can be a haven for a variety of pests such as bed bugs, mites, and ticks.

In addition, birds’ nests can block your attic ventilation at the soffit, which can cause condensation and mold, or block your gutters, causing overflows and even roof leaks. But fortunately, with a little effort, you won't have to put up with these problems. Here's how to protect your gutters and eaves from nuisance birds.

1. Scare Them Away
You can easily buy affordable reflective tapes to repel birds, or you can install a plastic owl or hawk decoy to trick them into thinking predators live at your house. An alternative to the owl is a balloon bird repellant, which may be even more convincing (to birds) because it moves around instead of staying still.

Another way to scare away prey species is by playing recordings of predators. You can buy devices designed for outdoor use that will play recordings targeted to startle nuisance birds.

2. Keep Eaves Sealed up Tight
If your eaves have gaps in the soffit where water damage or missing vent screens have caused vulnerabilities, birds may try to get in and nest there. And any sheltered nooks that provide a ledge for a tiny amount of nesting material is an open invitation to some birds. Block up these nooks with blocks of wood, and keep soffit and vents in good shape so birds can't intrude.

3. Use Gutter Guards
Different types of gutter guards have different purposes. If you just want to keep birds from nesting in your gutters but you aren't too worried about leaves clogging the flow, you can choose spiky inserts that make the gutters inhospitable to birds.

Of course, many situations will require gutter guards to do double duty. If you have trees near your house, spiky inserts may actually cause more problems by catching leaves and holding them in place. In this situation, you'll likely want to choose another style of gutter guard, such as a wire screen that blocks both birds and leaves.

You can also use a brush-style gutter guard or a foam insert to reduce the availability of nesting spots. These types of gutter guards don't reduce the need for gutter cleaning, though.

4. Make Landing Unpleasant
Shock tapes work a little like an electric fence. When a bird lands on them, it gets an electrical shock (although in theory it's a small one, not enough to injure the bird). But if you want something more humane, you can choose a bird repellent gel for your hardest-hit ledges. These gels make the surface sticky so birds won't want to stand on it.

5. Use Wire Mesh
Typical nylon window and vent screens may not work since some nuisance birds are strong enough to simply shred their way through. So if something on the other side of the screen is desirable to birds, be sure you cover it with strong metal mesh.

These strategies can remove the opportunity for birds to make their nests around your roof eaves and in your gutters, keeping these areas bird-free.

If you need help installing gutter guards, retrofitting your soffit vents, or altering any other part of your roof or gutters for bird prevention, be sure to get in touch with Ohio Roofing & Siding Co. today. We offer professional services for a variety of home improvement projects such as gutter and roofing services.