Regular roof inspections stop critters and protect roofs from possible damages. These tiny animals, although they look adorable, may inhabit attics and other areas of the house by entering openings or gaps and tearing shingles apart.
Keep your roof critter-free with Royalty Roofing. Read our latest blog post and learn from our roofers how you can keep squirrels, racoons, birds, and other pests from entering your home.
What Happens to Critter-Infested Roofs?
Roofs can be attractive spaces for critters. If left unprotected, these animals can take up residence in them, leading to roofing issues and other structural problems.
Squirrels, for example, can damage shingles and eaves with their gnawing habits. This behavior might endanger the entire house, especially since wiring is often located in the attic. Additionally, birds nesting on roofs can clog gutters and cause leaks and flooding, and their droppings may pose health risks.
To prevent such damage, critter protection is essential for maintaining the integrity of your roof. Preventive measures like chimney caps and mesh wire sealants can help keep these animals from entering your roof spaces.
Four Common Roof Critters to Watch Out for
There are several critters that like to use roofs as entry points into the attic and house. Here are the most common pests homeowners should watch out for.
| Common Critters | What They Do |
| Racoons | They use roofs for nesting, and the attic’s warmth and dark crevices are ideal nurseries for their young. |
| Birds | They build nests in gutters and eaves. They also use roofs as vantage points. |
| Squirrels | They destroy shingles or find openings in roofs to enter attics. |
| Bats | They roost under loose shingles. They find attics attractive due to their warmth and low disturbance levels. |
What are the Signs of Critter Activity?
Aside from actual sightings, here are a few signs of critters living in the attic.
Droppings, Urine Stains, and Foul Odors
A strong and unpleasant odor, which usually comes from animal urine and feces, is often the first sign of critter activity in the attic. The size and shape of feces can help identify the type of animal as well.
Strange Noises
Critters move around a lot in the attic—leading to sounds like scurrying, scratching, and thumping. The type of noise, as well as the time of day it happens, can give you clues about the type of critter you are dealing with. Squirrels, for example, are active during the day, while raccoons and rats are more active at night.
Damaged Roof Materials
Marks from gnawing, chewing, and tearing are clear signs of critters in the attic. Squirrels, for example, gnaw on various materials, while others may tear soffits, shingles, and other roofing elements to gain access.
Nesting Materials
Critters often use twigs, leaves, shredded insulation, or other materials to build nests in attics or roof spaces. Finding these all piled or shaped together is a strong indication of critter activity.
How Can You Protect Your Roof from Critters?
Roof inspection protects the house from roof damages and other structural issues. Installing critter barriers, sealing openings and gaps, and spraying critter-repellent solutions also help.
Here’s how you can get started.
Inspect Roof for Entry Points
Regular inspection of your roof plays an important role in preventing critters from entering the attic. Small animals like squirrels and birds can enter roofs even through tiny gaps.
Homeowners should regularly check the roof, particularly around the chimney, vents, and skylights, to find potential entry points. Pay special attention to doors, windows, and ventilation points as well, as these areas can develop gaps and openings over time.
Maintenance and prompt repair of any roofing damages are also essential and can significantly reduce the risk of critter infestations. But while roof inspection and maintenance are highly recommended, installation of critter guards adds extra protection to your home.
Critter devices, however, come in several forms, and each device offers different uses and is suitable for different needs. Call a local roofer to know more about these barriers.
Seal Gaps and Openings
Any gaps and openings should be sealed. Sealing is an easy and budget-friendly way to protect your home from critters and pests.
Experts recommend using weather-resistant sealants, especially in homes located in areas with unpredictable climates. Products like solar mesh screens and other critter guard devices are highly recommended and best for volatile service areas.
These barriers are easy to install and provide additional resilience. Using these tools can effectively stop pests from entering without compromising the home’s curb appeal.
Use Critter-Repellent Materials
Critter-repellent devices are also effective in preventing pests from entering roofs and other areas of the house. They come in different forms such as natural solutions that can be sprinkled around possible entry points.
Another example of a critter-repellent is bird nettings. Bird nettings stop small birds from nesting in roofs and areas in the house with openings or gaps. Squirrel guards and other physical barriers help too.
Trimming Overhanging Trees
Overhanging tree branches may serve as a bridge for critters to access roofs. It is best to cut them to reduce the risk of squirrels and racoons, for example, from climbing onto your roof.
Our experts from Royalty Roofing advise all homeowners to maintain a distance of 6 to 10 feet between the trees and the roof. This is why regular assessment and pruning of tree branches can help ensure they remain a safe distance from any roof.
Call a Professional Roof Inspector Now
Although they may look adorable, critters can damage your roof and cause structural issues in your home. Keep these little animals out without harming them using critter protection devices.
Royalty Roofing offers roof inspection along with other roofing solutions. Our team will thoroughly assess your roof and find signs of critter activity. We then give our honest recommendations of the best solutions possible.
Let us help you. Call us today at (330) 919-6319 or (440) 664-1030, and book your free consultation.
