Rooftop Pests to Look Out For

Animals Should be In the Wild, Not In Your Roof

We’re all animal lovers here at Hester Roofing & Gutters, but we prefer it when wild animals stay in the wild, not in your home! Many homeowners aren’t aware of the fact that one of the most common points of entry to your home for pests and vermin is through the roof. An improperly maintained roof and gutter system can put your home at risk for infestation and invasion, so it’s important to have your roof inspected and your gutters cleaned regularly. 

 

In the interest of keeping you educated, let’s take a look at some of the most common and dangerous rooftop pests that you should keep an eye out for!

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Carpenter Ants

Though not as prolific and insidious as drywood termites, carpenter ants can present a huge issue to homeowners. Unlike termites, carpenter ants prefer moist or decaying wood which they don’t eat, but rather construct their colonies within. They might be attracted to your roof by sticks and twigs caught in your gutters or through leaks in your roof in missing shingles. As soon as they detect wet wood in your attic and support beams, they will take it as an invitation to build their colonies in your roof. 

 

Keep an eye out for clogged gutters and missing shingles and have them repaired as soon as possible to prevent infestation.

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Roof Rats

These invasive rodents are both pernicious and filthy. Roof rats prefer to nest in high places and can destroy your roof and spread diseases. They will exploit openings in your roof from damaged shingles and flashing and make their way inside where they will rapidly set up home and breed prolifically. 

 

Stay on the lookout for their droppings or gnawed wood and wires in your attic, and have your roof inspected regularly for possible points of entry.

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Stinging Insects

Wasps, hornets, yellowjackets, and carpenter bees are all terrible house guests and are especially dreadful if anyone in your family has an allergic reaction to their stings. Carpenter bees especially have horribly painful stings and can cause terrible structural damage to your roof as they bore into the wood. Wasps and hornets nests can be difficult to see from ground level, and they can grow to unmanageable sizes if left unattended.

 

Having your gutters and your roof inspected yearly will allow professionals to see these nests and alert you to their presence.

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Termites

There’s not a homeowner in the world who doesn’t dread a termite infestation. These critters cause catastrophic amounts of damage to the wood structures in your home and often go completely unnoticed. Paint and shingles actually do provide an excellent layer of protection against termites, but damaged tiles and peeling paint can let termites in quite easily, and decaying plant matter in clogged gutters will attract them. 

 

It’s important to have any roof damage repaired as soon as possible, but it’s equally important to have your gutters inspected. If gutters aren’t functioning properly they can cause house paint to peel around them, allowing easy access for termites.

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Bats

Bats might be creepy to some, but they’re vitally important to keeping insect populations under control, so having them around your home is actually a good thing. Having them inside your home is another matter. Attics and roofs are very attractive to bats, and they can make their way inside through damaged trimming, shingles, and flashing. The real danger of having them inside your home is that bats are notorious carriers of rabies. Whether you find them scary or weirdly cute, you shouldn’t ever allow them to live in your home.

 

This is where roof inspections are so important. Your roof inspector can identify problem areas that might not be visible to the layperson.

 

If you’re worried about pests taking up residence in your roof, give us a call immediately. The best defense against invasive pests is regular roof inspections and gutter maintenance, and we’ve got the experience to find potential problem areas before they become a big issue.

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