News

Enjoy watching birds in your garden but remember to protect your roof

(29th April 2013)

It seems that spring is finally making its long-awaited entrance, with nature playing catch-up as our gardens come back to life and the birds prepare their nests. Although it’s lovely to watch them busy at work from a window or conservatory, they can cause problems for your home so be prepared now in order to save spending time and energy on maintenance later.

Birds often choose to nest in the eaves of a roof where it is warm and dry, but debris from their nests falls into the guttering and they can quickly become blocked, preventing rainwater from flowing away. This is far from ideal, particularly given the increased rainfall levels we have seen in recent years. The birds will sometimes peck at the roofing felt too, leaving your roof exposed to the elements. This can result in rainwater leaking onto the roof timbers and into the loft, causing damp and rot which requires expensive treatment and even, in extreme cases, a whole new roof.

However, there is an easy way to avoid this problem with Anglian Home Improvements’ bird protection products. Anglian’s Eaves Shield system replaces decaying or damaged roofing-felt with a recycled uPVC guard including an integral bird comb that is resistant to further attack and enables rainwater to drain away into the gutter. It forms an effective barrier for your roof trim, which prevents birds from nesting in the rafters whilst maintaining adequate ventilation.

Anglian’s Gutterguard, meanwhile, can provide an additional method of defence. It is a hard-wearing polypropylene mesh that fits over the gutter, preventing leaves and debris from falling in but allowing rainwater to pass straight through, meaning you no longer have to climb wobbly ladders to clear the gutters.

To encourage birds into your garden but ensure they nest where you want them to, think about creating a bird-friendly area using bird boxes and feeders. For useful information on the birds you’re most likely to see as well as tips on what to feed them, Anglian has developed a helpful birdwatching infographic, which can be downloaded from the Anglian Home Improvements website.

Return to Current News

News Archive