Restoring Your Roof & Chimney

            You just had pests removed from your chimney or attic. That’s great, but now you have a new problem. It’s important to find out where the pests came in from in the first place, so you can avoid more pest control situations in the future. Or, maybe the pests caused damage to your roof or chimney during the time they occupied space in your home. Keep reading for some ways to pest-proof your roof and chimney, as well as simple fixes for any small damage caused.

Examine your exterior.

            The first important step of this process is to find any potential problem areas. If possible, walk along your roof, checking for any shingles sticking up, holes in your exterior, or any access points near your chimney. If you find anything that even remotely looks like pests could get in, they probably will eventually. Make sure to check any roof returns, vents, and any other small access points all along your exterior.

Patch any openings you see.

            There are many ways to patch over holes and access points that completely depend on someone’s favorite way of repairing things. Oftentimes, it won’t take much to cover some smaller sized holes. Some common methods are using caulking to seal small gaps, cover vent openings with steel mesh, and nail down any loose shingles. An easy way to protect the chimney is by having a chimney cap installed, which is essentially a metal guard protecting your chimney opening from pests. It’s also smart to fix any loose flashing, as even these small gaps can let pests in. Always keep your damper shut when you’re not using your fireplace as well.

Restoring pest damage.

            Depending on the magnitude of the damage done by the pests, you might want to have a professional assess your situation. It should be fairly easy to see whether you can handle the repairs on your own or not. If the damage doesn’t look too bad, this could easily be a great do it yourself project and could save you some money. Keep reading for a couple of common types of damage and how to fix them.

            One of the most common types of damage caused by pests is a hole through the wood right along your roof or around your chimney. Once the pest control has been done, you can repair this easily. The easiest way to fix this is to fasten down a new piece of wood that you have cut to the proper dimensions. Once done, simply nail back down a few shingles or apply some paint and you’re good to go!

            Another common problem caused by pests is blocking of the flue. This is common when the chimney doesn’t have a cap to guard the opening. If any type of animal or bird gets into your chimney, there is a good chance that they will attempt to build a nest at some point. This is bad, as it can block the flue, causing smoke and carbon monoxide from your fireplace to be circulated back into your home. The easiest way to resolve this problem is to hire a chimney sweep to come to clean your chimney out. If you insist on doing it on your own, you can try to remove the nest by hand, being careful to not drop too much of it back down the chimney.

            Always be careful and use common sense when attempting to pest-proof and repair your chimney or repair your roof, as it can be potentially dangerous. Remember, the best way to fix pest damage is to prevent them from entering in the first place.