How to Keep Birds out of Your Gutters

Whether it’s for residential or commercial roofing, gutters are installed along the roofs of homes for a single purpose: to divert any rainwater from the roof down the drain to prevent water damage to the structure. This only works if the gutters are clean and free of debris, which means they must be maintained regularly. But that doesn’t mean you won’t check on your gutters closely if you see from ground level that they look clean. 

 

 

 

 

 

How Birds Nesting in Gutters Can Be a Problem

 

You probably haven’t noticed yet, but birds sometimes like to make their nest in the gutters. It’s an ideal place for them, but not so for the unfortunate homeowner, especially if they nest in your gutters. Their nest will often clog your gutters, which can affect the flow of rainwater and stop it from getting to its intended destination. If this happens, water may accumulate in some parts of your roof instead, which can lead to water leakage and damage the internal parts of your roof.

 

Birds don’t mind whether the gutters are from residential or commercial roofing, so long as it’s an ideal place for them to build their nest. You may think that you need to get rid of the birds immediately, but it’s sometimes not that easy. You should remember that more than 800 bird species are protected by U.S. law, so you can’t just disturb them while they’re actively nesting in your gutters. 

 

Preventing Birds From Nesting in Your Gutters

 

If you already see a bird actively nesting in your gutters, don’t try to knock it down by yourself. Don’t even think about killing them because it’s illegal, as well as trapping them. You can wait until late fall or winter to clear the bird’s nest from your gutters, or you can call a wildlife rescue or a pest control specialist to take care of the situation.

 

While it’s illegal to remove the bird’s nest from your gutters or even move it somewhere around your house, it’s still legal to stop the nest while it’s being built. If you notice a bird starting to put debris on your gutters, you have to immediately remove it so the bird won’t be able to complete building its nest. You can also use bird decoys to scare the birds away, but make sure your local home association allows this first. Another good way to prevent birds from nesting in your gutters is installing a steel wire mesh or hardware cloth. But sometimes, smaller debris can get thru the mesh.

 

If you don’t want the hassle of installing steel wire mesh to protect your gutters, consider calling a reputable residential and commercial roof contractor from Fortenberry Roofing Co. instead. We offer solutions such as aluminum gutter covers to keep your gutters clean and free from nesting birds.

 

When it comes to reliable roofing, Fortenberry Roofing is the name to count on. With over 20 years of industry expertise, we’re confident that you’ll be left satisfied with our job. Give us a call at 1-806-385-6761 for more information. You can also fill up our convenient online form to schedule an appointment. We serve Littlefield, Levelland, Hereford, and surrounding TX areas.