Birds in the Attic - How to Get Rid

Birds inhabiting your attic may not be such a bad thing, initially. After all, they can clean up insects and other pests from around your home, and their songs are usually peaceful and relaxing. But they can also intrude and become pests, especially if their numbers are growing and they’ve created a home for themselves in your attic. In those cases, you need to know how to get rid of birds in the attic in a humane, non-lethal and non-aggressive manner.

Locate the birds and determine what they are: It stands to reason that you should always check what kind of birds have inhabited your attic. Depending on the location you’re at, you may find yourself invaded by some endangered species of birds. In those cases, you will need professional help, and will probably need to contact the proper authorities as well.

But if the birds inhabiting your attic are not endangered or pose no significant threat for you, then you can proceed to actually making sure they leave. And to do that, you’ll have to start with something simple, like playing loud music in the attic. This will usually drive most birds away, as the loud noise disturbs them. Simply walking in the attic and checking every now and then can be enough to disturb the birds until they leave.

Prevention and damage control: Of course, once the birds are no longer in the attic, you can move on to taking preventive measures in order to make sure they won’t return anytime soon. First thing you need to do is get rid of nests – birds will usually come back, no matter what, if they’re nesting or have young to take care of. Your best option, if they have young ones already hatched, is to call a professional to properly get them out safe.

Once the nests have been cleared out, it’s time to decontaminate the area properly. Bird droppings can have a foul smell and can pose significant health risks for you and your family; they can also severely damage insulating materials and render them useless and in need of replacement.

Next up is the last thing you need to do, but a very important step nonetheless, and that’s making sure that no other birds can get into the attic. Search for and find all the areas which would allow a bird to fit in through, and cover them up. Make sure you don’t have any missing shingles or that you’re overlooking some obvious entrances, and repair or cover those up as well. As long as no new birds can get into your attic, you won’t have anything to worry about for the foreseeable future. Having trouble? Visit our Hire a Pro section for help!

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