Woodpecker Problems:

In today’s post, our panel of experts at American Standard Roofing pick up from where we left off discussing woodpecker problems. As the summer comes into full swing woodpecker problems are on the rise. People have been complaining about holes on the outside siding of their homes. In today’s post  our team will discuss the kinds of deterrents and preventive measures that will work when it comes to woodpecker problems. Here is a list of things compiled by our experts:

Preventive Measures:

Lighter Colors:

A Cornell Lab Study cited earlier also points out that aluminum and vinyl sidings that are lighter in color are less likely to be pecked and damaged by woodpeckers. The drawback however is pretty obvious. If they continue hammering, it can get loud and frustrating for homeowners. Woodpeckers usually stop hammering in the spring time when they start breeding. This is because they mostly hammer to attract a mate and to mark their territory. If you want to see results in how to get rid of woodpeckers, go for lighter color sidings.

Wood gets more damage:

How to get rid of woodpeckers? This is a big one. Wooden sidings and trimmings compared to metal or aluminum, get damaged more if woodpeckers hammer on them. A good measure would be to switch to metal or aluminum, depending on the area the home is built in.

Commercial areas get less damage:

Homes built near wooded areas are obviously more vulnerable to damage caused by woodpeckers. Comparatively, homes in commercial areas are less prone to damage caused by the birds. This is because wooded areas are more of a natural habitat for the bird.

Call the Exterminator:

If the pecking is due to woodpeckers looking for food, the holes made on the outside will be small and irregular. This is opposite of when they are making a nest (in which case the hole will be round and large). If you see irregular holes, the problem is more than likely insects inside your trimmings and sidings. Woodpeckers eat larvae of insects. An exterminator will know how to get rid of woodpeckers and be able to get rid of the insect problem permanently.

Other Methods:

According to a study published in Journal of Wildlife Management, there were six preventive measures tested to see how to get rid of woodpeckers. They also were tested to see if they could prevent long-term damage from woodpeckers. These methods included using life-sized plastic owl and fishing lines with plastic eyes (to give the scare-crow effect), using reflective streamers with shiny coating, sound system with calls of a hawk to scare woodpeckers and roost boxes among others. Test results showed that scare crow effect techniques only worked in the beginning. Later on the woodpeckers got used to them. The only effective method was using the streamers whose color and wind effect kept woodpeckers from doing damage.

In addition to above deterrents, our experts also suggest that they have heard of some success with homeowners using reflective tape and strips of aluminum foils along the places where there is damage. Sometimes windsocks and pinwheels work too. Sometimes people use bird nets for gardens to get some extent of effectiveness. Unfortunately nothing works 100% all the time, and homeowners need to engage in variety of tricks to keep woodpeckers at bay.

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We are certified and licensed roofing contractors. We have a lot of experience with thinking long term. We specialize in proper method & procedures. We also have over 36 years of experience in the industry. American Standard Roofing stands behind it’s work. Our reputation is important to us. We believe in never sacrificing quality for easy profits. We also stand behind our services for the lifetime of the product, both labor and material. That is why we are #1 metro Detroit roofers. Give us a call today at (248) 350-2323 to see how we can help you out.