Although you may rejoice when a bird begins building a nest in a nearby tree, there are definitely places you don’t want feathered friends to take up residence. Unsuitable or unsafe locations around your home include near doors and walkways, inside vents and chimneys, and in your gutters.
Nests Cause Significant Property Damage
Beyond the nuisance of bird droppings, a nest in your gutters can cause serious damage to your entire home. If a nest clogs gutters and downspouts, water can’t flow down the downspouts and away from your foundation. Overflowing water can run over both the inside and outside of the gutter. When it runs over the inside, the fascia boards and siding are subjected to damage. When it runs over the front of your gutters, water pools around your foundation, creating an ideal environment for breeding insects – not to mention it can eventually find its way under your foundation or into your basement, leading to water damage. Plus, because birds will spend a significant time on your roof, their acidic droppings can result in unsightly stains and damage to roofing materials and ventilation systems.
What You Can Do
During spring and summer months, you should routinely check your gutters for nests and other debris. Whether it’s a bird nest or something else, you want to prevent gutter clogs and the associated issues in and around your home. If you find a nest and it’s empty, remove the nest completely to encourage birds to relocate to a different area. When you find a nest, whether old or new, be sure to use protective gloves to guard against disease and infestations. If the nest is currently occupied with chicks or eggs, contact your local animal control department to determine whether you should attempt to remove the nest.
To discourage future nesting, consider installing Gutter Helmet®, the best-rated gutter covers to prevent access to gutters. In addition to keeping birds out, a gutter guard will protect your gutters from falling leaves and debris, plus insects and other animals that may find them an attractive place to settle.
You’ll find that in our gutter guard reviews, homeowners rave about the fact they don’t have to clean their gutters of nests or fallen leaves. With the best-rated gutter covers, you’ll virtually eliminate the time you spend maintaining your gutter system. For more than 30 years, Gutter Helmet has been protecting gutters from bird nests, rodents and falling debris. To find a Gutter Helmet dealer near you, call (800) 824-3772 today.
