Birds love nesting on roofs because they give them a sturdy home and a great perch to watch out for predators and food. While you might like watching the birds on your roof or listening to them sing, when they "go" on your roof they are causing damage that can actually threaten the structural integrity of your roof and even your home.
Bird Droppings Are Shockingly Damaging To Roofs
It might be surprising to hear that bird droppings can actually damage the integrity of your roof, but it's true. The problem here is caused by the acidity of their droppings. Typically, a bird's droppings contain a variety of substrates that are heavily damaging to roofing. These substances contain uric acid, which has a pH rating of about 4.5, making it highly acidic.
Just how damaging can bird droppings be to a roof? It is estimated that even a light layer of droppings can cut a roof's life in half. Most of this damage will directly impact your shingles, eating through their outer layers and causing multiple problems in your home.
There Are Real Dangers With Shingle Damage
Beyond the aesthetic concerns caused by shingle damage is a variety of other problems. Severely leaking shingles can cause a variety of dangers to your home, including:
Stopping these problems from developing is a two-step process: driving birds away from your roof and cleaning your shingles of their droppings.
There Are Ways To Fix The Problem
The first step in protecting your roof from excessive bird dropping damage is to get birds away from your roof. This includes a variety of control methods, such as traps, decoys, ultrasonic distraction devices, and even destroyed nests. Items such as anti-roosting strips and gels can be applied to prevent them from coming back.
Next you need to clean your roof of droppings that may have stained your shingles. Start by removing plants and other items away from the edges of your roof, placing a cup of bleach and powdered laundry soap in a garden sprayer, adding a gallon of water, and spraying concentrated blasts of water on the stains. Move the hose evenly across the roof and pay special attention to heavy stains.
Last, but not least, is inspecting your shingles for damage. Spotting early signs of damage can save you a lot of money, as it can cost as little as $100 to repair a few broken shingles and up to $1,000 to pay for large repairs. Call a professional roofer right away and have them make simple and inexpensive repairs as soon as possible.
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