You might not know you have uninvited guests in your roof until you hear them. The banging and thumping on your ceiling at night can be alarming at the very least. Rest assured; you don’t have poltergeists, just small furry animals taking over your roof cavity. Insects such as wood borers and termites can also wreak havoc on your structural beams and vulnerable roofing material.
Small Furry Creatures
Many older homes can have possums, rats, and mice living above the ceiling, and these creatures can do their fair share of damage. Besides chewing through crucial wiring and data cables, urine stains and odours, especially from animals dying in the roof cavity, can make life hell for the legal occupants of the house. The mess they make can also attract insects, create a fire hazard, and ruin anything you have stored in that space.
Obviously, it’s best to prevent them from entering the roof in the first place by regular inspections for gaps and damage to the roof. Overhanging trees not only pose a threat for roof damage in high winds and storms, but they act as a bridge for animals to come and go as they please.
Once the animals have taken up residence, it’s hard to find and remove them. Depending on what’s living in the roof, you could call a pest control company, or find a more humane way to remove your pests such as trap and release.
Any branches too close the house will have to be removed, and a full roof inspection needs to be done to identify access points and permanently block them off.
Termites
When smaller creatures move into your roof, you won’t know until after the damage is done. Termites in your roof can be disastrous. They’ll completely eat through any wooden beams and support structures, and undermine the entire roof. In this case, prevention is the best cure, and regular termite inspections and treatments should be carried out to ensure they never get the chance to settle in the roof, or anywhere else in your home.
If you see evidence of termites, don’t disturb them, as they’ll move on and be harder to eradicate. Call a professional pest control company and let them handle it for you.
Wood Borers
Another wood damaging insect that can cause significant destruction is the many varieties of wood borers. Some of them even fly, which makes detection much harder. You’ll only see where they’ve been by the holes they leave in the wood after they’ve left. Luckily, wood borers only eat certain types of wood, and most houses are now constructed from wood that’s resistant to borers. If you see holes in any of the wooden components of your roof, call a professional for expert advice.
Birds
Birds can enter the roof cavity through gaps under the eaves or damaged roofs. The birds themselves won’t cause much damage, but they’re noisy and messy and can encourage rodents and insects to move in. The best way to prevent roof damage from animals, birds, and insects is to avoid letting them in. This means regular inspections for access points, and regular termite inspections and treatments.
Contact Air Roofing
Air Roofing will carry out an annual roof inspection free of charge, and offer expert advice on repairs, and preventing creatures from entering your roof. Call us on 08 6166 0545, or use the online form to contact us.
