Does Bird Poop Damage My Roof?

Do you have a problem with birds on your roof? If you do, then you know how unsightly it is to have bird droppings lining your rooftop. Not only is it ugly to look at, but bird poop causes other problems for your roof. Often times, we have customers ask us if bird poop damages their roof – and the answer is a definitive yes, it does (hey, we’re backed by science here). We’ll discuss below the damages caused by bird poop, as well as how to go about removing it and preventing long-term damages.

Damage Caused by Bird Poop

So what are the damages caused by bird poop? For one, you have to think about what it is that birds eat: nuts, berries, fruits, and other acidic items. On top of that, birds don’t have a bladder, meaning that they store liquid and solid wastes together (hence the watery bird doo that you see on your roof, sidewalks, car, etc.). We also know that bird poop has the ability to eat through paint, unfortunately. This is due to the makeup of uric acid in bird droppings, which gives bird poo a pH level between 3 and 4.5.

Okay, so what does this all mean for your roof?

While the bird poop doesn’t do immediate damage (it’s not like the impact is leaving a crater or anything), if left to sit on your roof for a longer period of time, you’ll start to see worn out shingles, missing granules, and weak spots. This is because the acidic bird poop damages your roof and eats away at the shingles. If your poo problem is really bad, this could even lead to roof leaks and holes in the shingles.

How to Remove Bird Poop from Your Roof

There are some strategies you can implement in order to remove the bird poop from your roof after it has already landed there – and to prevent the birds from landing there altogether.

• Use a garden hose – you can try removing the bird droppings with just a regular garden hose. Make sure that you’re not using high pressure since this could add more damages to your roof by blasting away or loosening the shingles.
• Try a bird poop cleaner.  This can get expensive, so we really recommend this to individuals who have a more serious bird poop problem.
• Call a professional – call someone in your local vicinity who knows what they’re doing and can professionally remove the bird poop from your roof.

If you have a damaged roof and need a roof repair or replacement then give Element Roofing a call.  We are the trusted providers of roofing in Livermore, roofing in Hayward and the rest of the Tri-Valley area.

Other Ways Birds Can Damage A Roof

While bird poop is the most common damage birds can do to your roof there is a lot more they can also do.  Most of these other issues involve bird’s nests.  If you have birds nesting on your roof then you’ll need to keep an eye out for these issues.  Many times birds will create their nests in your home’s gutters or other drainage areas.  You gutters make for a cozy spot for birds to build a nest as they can shelter from wind and can be somewhat out of sight to predators.  However, for you the homeowner this can cause a problem because those nests will cause blockages and backups when it does rain.  The water won’t have the same drainage capabilities that it would if the nest wasn’t there.  This can wear down the area over time and cause pooling of water in areas where there shouldn’t which can also cause damage and even cause water to back up and get under your shingles.

 

Let over abanded nests can also be a concern for fire.  The materials the nests are made of out can work like a tinder box as they are dried out twigs, sticks, and other materials.

 

How To Keep Birds Off Your Roof

 

There are plenty of ways to keep birds from finding a new home or hang out spot in and around your home. You want to make your roof less inviting to any birds that are considering it.  More than likely you’ve seen bird spikes or strips on buildings and signs in your city.  These work great for commercial and government buildings but can really be an eyesore for residential homes.  Below you’ll find a variety of tips to reduce how good your roof looks to your local birds without compromising the look and design of your home.

• Trim any overhanging trees – it could be that the birds are landing in your trees and then roosting there, causing the bird poop to fall onto your rooftop below. Trim back your trees so bird poop won’t have a chance of landing on our roof.
• Get rid of nests – physically remove any visible nests in your gutters or on the roof itself. This will discourage birds from returning.
• Set up a bird deterrent – there are various methods of deterring birds. Some people use plastic owls or other predators on their rooftop, others use foil streamers, and the more serious actually play bird distress call sounds over speakers to deter birds.
• Fake bird of prey eyes – There are balloons and other types of materials you can hang near your roof that has the design of a large eye in them.  These deter birds that can be prey from raptors like owls and hawks.
• Utilize sound recordings – You can play sounds of other predator birds with speakers.  Most birds will learn to avoid the area when they hear the sounds of other birds they want to avoid. You can also play high-frequency blasts of sound.  These frequencies do not bother humans but can be a deterrent to birds. Keep in mind, if you have dogs they will be able to hear those high-frequency sounds and that could be a bother to them.
• Cover shingles with deterrent gel – This gel is sold at home improvement stores and when applied properly cannot be seen but with make it uncomfortable for birds who try to land and perch on your roof.