Bird Proofing Your Home and Vents

Keeping Your Home and Vents Bird Free

While most of us can agree that birds are pretty to look at, we don’t want them nesting in our homes.

Unfortunately, the nesting behaviors of certain types of birds encourages them to come into conflict with our homes. This is especially during the colder winter months when they seek refuge from the blustery temperatures.

Without bird proofing your home or organizing effective control, birds can cause damage to homes. Their droppings not only create unhealthy living situations for families, but they can also stain and decay building materials.

Luckily, there’s a way to keep your home bird free. Read on to discover more.

The Danger of Birds Nesting In Your Home

Before we discuss the best way to bird proof your home and vents, let’s first touch upon the dangers of birds nesting and living in your home.

As mentioned, it’s more than just annoyance that birds can cause from nesting or entering your home.

Human exposure to pest bird roosts and nests that are polluted with unsafe fungal spores found in droppings increases the chance of dangerous inhalation. When dry bird droppings are airborne and transfer through air vents (where many birds like to nest) and open windows, humans are particularly at risk for infection. Plus, who wants to live in a home full of bird droppings anyway?

While birds look cute, they can carry over 40 types of parasites and over 60 types of infectious diseases. These can be spread from dried bird droppings to you and your family living at home.

Where Do Birds Nest in the Home?

If you suspect that there are birds nesting in your home but you’re not exactly sure, let’s go through some of the common places birds tend to flock to for nesting.

Birds Like to Nest in Corners and Crannies

The most important factor birds need when nesting is safety and security. They want to build their nest and lay their eggs in a safe spot where predators can’t reach them. Luckily for birds, they can fly and choose locations that are high up in the air, away from opportunistic predators after their young.

While you may think of sweet little nests perched high up in the branches of a tree, birds aren’t picky when it comes to aesthetics. Any corner, ledge, or nook of your house can be a perfect spot for a bird to craft its nest.

So, check your window ledges, gutters, railings, slanted roofing, shingles, and corners of the home for bird nests. Anywhere with enough room for birds to stuff nesting material could be a potential nesting spot.

But while birds have the flying benefit over many predators, there are some that also share this advantage. Hawks, owls, and other large birds will fly away with an egg or two if they spot a nest and they have the chance.

Such birds are also happy to go after the chicks once they’ve hatched too. If mom is around, they’ll even grab her too! So, to avoid these terrifying predators, birds seek nesting spots that are hidden or at least partially covered for discretion.

Birds will look out for spots that are tight and hard to spot, so along with their chicks, they have the best chances of survival. Again, tiny corners and ledges such as plumbing ventilation shafts, chimneys, garages, damaged shingles, and gutters are ideal for this. A nook offers great cover in every direction but one, after all.

Birds Nesting In Dryer Vents

Many types of birds love nesting in dryer vents during the winter because of the warm airy flow that breathes from the outlets. But birds nesting in the dryer vents can affect the functioning of the vents, so bird proofing them is a must.

Not only is it annoying if your dryer stops working, but birds nesting in dryers can be dangerous, as well as unsanitary which we’ve touched on. Leaving your dryer vent open for nesting birds can lead to fires and other damages.

Call a Professional to Keep Your Home Bird Free

Whether you are in the market for bird prevention or if you’ve already discovered a nest of furry little birds living somewhere in or around your home Viking Pest has solutions for you!

Here at Viking Pest Control, we’re proud to use the latest technology to provide an efficient service with our humane bird control solutions and services.

The Viking certified bird control inspectors are trained in the proper evaluation of many different types of bird species in the home.

Whatever bird-related issue you’re dealing with, your Viking Pest inspector will provide you with a comprehensive written evaluation. This is created using our integrated pest management system (IPM) to help fix your specific situation.

Our IPM strategy not only helps remove birds from the home but also focuses on long-term prevention of birds entering and nesting in the home. The IPM strategy uses various techniques. These include biological control and common-sense methods to limit bird’s sources of food, water, and shelter for pest birds in your home to ensure you don’t experience similar issues in the future.

To learn more about our bird control and prevention services, check out our  Bird Control FAQ and schedule an estimate online for your home. Say goodbye to pest birds creating a nuisance in your home!

Viking Pest is the Bird Control and Bird Prevention Experts in NJ, PA, DE & MD! Call Viking Today!