After a wet and cold winter, spring is finally giving us some welcome relief. But just as prolific as sunny days are wild birds looking for a place to nest. And while you see your roof void as a space for your home’s insulation and wiring, birds see free 5-star accommodation in its place.
Unfortunately, pest birds aren’t the most considerate of guests: their nests and droppings can cause considerable damage and they carry more germs than a medi-hotel. But luckily there are a few things you can do to keep these annihilative avians at bay.
Whether you think you already have birds on your roof or are worried about the risk, read on to find out what you can do about it.
Why do birds nest in rooves?
With soft insulation and shelter from the elements, roof spaces make the perfect home for birds to build their nests.
Unfortunately, the longer birds are left to nest, the harder it can be to remove them, which is why you should act quickly to prevent or manage them.
How can you tell if a bird has made a home inside your roof?
As spring approaches, you should keep an eye (and ear) out for:
- Bird noises, particularly the cries and chirps of young chicks after eggs hatch
- Nest debris or birds picking up sticks and other materials in your garden to use in their nest
- Large amounts of droppings all in one area (this may be a sign that a bird is living there, rather than just passing by)
- Feathers in gutters and blocking drains
- Nests under solar panels
Are pest birds dangerous?
Many people are unaware that pest birds can pose more problems than just noise.
They can make a mess in hard-to-reach areas which may entice other pests like rats and mice, leading to further health and safety issues. And it’s not just rodents – birds can also bring in small biting insects that once in the home, can be hard to manage. This includes fleas, lice, flies, and bird mites.
When pest birds nest in and on your roof, they also cause property damage.
Their acidic droppings are a big problem for solar panels and HVAC systems, and can interfere with their function. Birds’ feathers and nest debris can also clog up drains and gutters, causing plumbing and water damage problems.
Pest birds also have pest implications. Adelaide birds are known disease carriers and can cause health problems such as:
- Salmonella
- Ornithosis
- Bird fanciers lung
- E-Coli
- Health issues from contaminated food and water supplies
How can you prevent and manage pest birds?
As spring approaches, we recommend you carry out preventative measures to reduce the risk of pest birds becoming a problem. This is a simple checklist of things you can do to prevent birds this time of year:
- Although it can be nice to provide your local birds with food and water, you might also be attracting pest birds. Discourage unwanted birds from arriving and nesting by removing access to food and water sources during spring.
- You should frequently assess your roof for access points or hire a professional to do so. Many pests, including birds, may enter your home via small gaps, overhanging branches, and loose tiles. Pigeons are frequent culprits because they only need a gap of 25 mm to enter the roof void. Pigeons will even shift loose or damaged roofing tiles to gain access.
- If you have solar panels, you should consider bird proofing.
If birds are still causing you issues, our team can help you with more targeted bird prevention, bird removal, and cleaning up bird mess from your roof.
Our expert team is ready to help you now
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How does Allstate prevent and manage birds?
At Allstate, we use a variety of methods to prevent and control pest birds, including:
- Bird netting
- Bird spikes
- Bird jolt
- Bird wire
- Cleaning
- Solar panel proofing
- Shooting
- Trapping
For more information on each of these methods, see our bird control solutions.
What happens after Allstate removes the birds?
Once we have removed pest birds, it’s important to clean up the mess left behind. At Allstate we can help you out with roof void cleaning, gutter cleaning, and solar panel cleaning and protection. Check out our maintenance services here.
We also encourage our customers to keep a regular maintenance schedule throughout spring to prevent birds from returning.