To an animal, an attic is an ideal home: dry, sheltered, quiet and warm in winter. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, plenty of squirrels, rats, raccoons, birds and bats would be happy to move into yours. Once they are in, they chew wiring and wood, tear up insulation, leave droppings, and open up holes that let rain into the roof. The good news is that most of them get in through a handful of predictable spots, and those spots can be fixed.
Common Critters In North Texas Roofs
Squirrels are the animals we hear about most. They jump from overhanging branches onto the roof and chew through soft or rotted fascia, soffits and vent covers. Roof rats are excellent climbers and can squeeze through surprisingly small gaps. Raccoons are strong enough to pull back loose shingles, rip open roof vents and tear through soffit panels. Birds nest in gutters, vents and gaps at the eaves. Bats roost in attics and behind loose trim; they need special handling and should be excluded by a wildlife professional, not trapped or harmed.
Signs Animals Have Moved In
Listen for scratching, scurrying or thumping in the ceiling, especially around dawn and dusk. Outside, look for chewed holes or gnaw marks along the fascia and soffits, torn vent screens, nesting material in gutters, and grease or dark rub marks around openings. Inside the attic, watch for droppings, flattened or tunneled insulation, chewed wiring and a musty or ammonia smell. Water stains on the ceiling can also be a sign, since an opening made by an animal lets rain in as easily as it lets the animal in.
How Critters Get Into Your Roof
Most entry points are along the roofline. Common ones include:
- Gaps where a lower roof meets a wall or where two roof sections meet, often left open during construction
- Rotted or loose fascia boards and soffit panels
- Roof vents, ridge vents and gable vents with damaged or missing screens
- Gaps around plumbing vent pipes and the chimney
- Loose or missing shingles and flashing
How To Keep Them Out
Prevention starts with taking away the easy routes. Trim tree branches well back from the roof so squirrels and raccoons can’t jump onto it. Keep your gutters clean so they don’t become nesting spots or hold standing water. Replace rotted fascia and soffit wood instead of patching it, and cover vents and other openings with sturdy metal screening that animals can’t chew through.
Order matters. If animals are already living in the attic, have a wildlife control professional remove them first, often with one-way exclusion doors. Sealing the openings with animals still inside traps them, and they will chew new holes trying to get out. Once the attic is clear, seal every entry point at the same time so they can’t simply move to the next weak spot.
Repairing The Damage
After the animals are gone, the roof usually needs attention. Chewed vents, torn flashing, lifted shingles and rotted roof edges all let water in, and damaged decking may need replacing. Roof Experts can inspect the roof, show you what we find and make the roof repairs needed to close it up properly. Our roof inspections are free, and a yearly inspection is a good way to catch new entry points before something moves in. Our post on summer roof hazards covers other problems worth checking at the same time.
Roof Experts serves homeowners across Dallas-Fort Worth from our office in Arlington. Call (817) 754-9484 or request a free inspection.