3 Ways Pests Can Get Through Your Roof

Posted on: 21 June 2018

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Whether you're thinking of raccoons, bats, or termites, chances are you don't have warm fuzzy feelings when thinking of these small (and sometimes cute and fuzzy) critters. Many pests aren't as bold as cockroaches and don't directly invade your living space, but rather take up residence in areas like your basement or roof space.

This can be especially sinister if the pests are so quiet you don't notice the invasion until too late, when their droppings and nests have already caused considerable damage. Here are three ways pests could be accessing your roof space.

1. Sneaking through the vents

Adequate roof vents are absolutely essential to a healthy, functioning roof, which is why it's so dastardly when pests take advantage of your vents to infiltrate the roof and invade your attic. Termites and other similarly tiny insects can often simply go right through the holes in the vent screens (you need size 20 mesh to exclude termites). Squirrels and other small pests can also sometimes enter through vents that aren't screened.

2. Finding chinks and knots to sneak through

Often, a squirrel can easily slide through a hole that's only an inch and a half across. Holes need to be smaller than a quarter in order to be safe from squirrels, but they also need to have non-chewable sides because if the material is plastic or wood, squirrels can gnaw away the edges of a hole to enlarge it. This means that even a smallish knot in a plank that's not plugged up can be an entry point for these pests. Insects can get through even smaller gaps.

3. Ripping holes open

While squirrels can gnaw at the edges of a hole, larger pests such as raccoons can take much stronger measures. A desperate raccoon may rip or chew right through soffit to gain access, and they can also pull the covers off plumbing vents if they think it'll help them get inside. They've even been known to rip up shingles and tear right through rotted boards in their quest to gain entrance.

These are just three of the ways pests may gain access to your roof space. They can also sometimes find even sneakier pathways such as entering through the basement and climbing up through the walls. As you can see, some pests can be quite hard to stop if they think your home is a good place to live. You'll often need to have the pests physically removed to another location by a professional pest control company.

Contact a company like Environmental  Pest Control for more information.