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Up on the Rooftop

Why Prompt Roofing Repairs Are Important When Animals Gnaw Holes In Your Asphalt Shingle Roof

18 March 2021

Lori Silva

Wildlife, such as rats, raccoons, squirrels, and bats, are always looking for food and shelter. Your home is enticing since it is warm and a safe haven from the rain. Wildlife often enters through your roof, and in the process, the animals do a lot of damage to your roofing. Here are some roof repairs you could need because of animal damage, and why repairs should be done promptly.

How Animals Damage Roofing

Animals get inside your roof by chewing holes through it. Rats and squirrels might find an area of rotted wood and gnaw through it to get inside. The air coming out of your attic through small holes can entice the animals to dig and gnaw until the hole is bigger.

A raccoon can also damage your shingles since they are bigger and they can use their hands. Raccoons also make much larger holes that let in a lot of rain. While small animals may look for roof damage to exploit along the eaves, raccoons can tear a hole in the slope of your roof, so you should look over your entire roof when checking it for damage.

Another way wildlife damages your roof is through acidic droppings. Pigeons and other birds damage shingles if they perch on the roof regularly. Large birds can even pull up shingles or damage them with their strong talons. A woodpecker can cause damage by pecking holes in the roof.

Roof Repairs That Might Be Needed

If you notice animals on your roof often or if you spot damage right away, call a roofer to check your roof and make repairs before the damage gets out of control. The roofer might need to tear off old shingles and replace them. They also need to find all the entry holes and block them.

This might be done by placing sheet metal over the hole or by removing the damaged roofing and patching in new decking. However, you'll need to call a wildlife removal professional or pest control company to clear the animals out of your attic first so the roofer doesn't seal the pests inside your home.

Why Prompt Repairs Are Important

Some animals are aggressive, and they tear open holes in your roof. Other animals are opportunists. They'll only enlarge existing holes or use holes already present to make a home in your roof or attic. The longer your roof has holes, the greater the risk of more animals doing damage. Plus, animals are attracted to the scent of other animals, so you may never eliminate your pest problem until the holes have been repaired.

Besides that, holes in your roof let in rain that leads to water damage in your home. That only compounds your problem and leads to more expenses. The situation could even have health consequences due to mold from rain and germs from wildlife getting in your home.

Prompt roof repairs are always important for protecting your home and family. When you're dealing with animal invaders, it's even more important to take quick action before minor roof damage escalates into the need for major roofing and water damage repairs.

Reach out to a local roofing service to learn more.

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