Preventing roof damage from wildlife

Damage caused by wildlife is a problem for all homeowners – but animals particularly like to make their homes in older, traditional structures.

Thatch roofs, wooden beams, and even trusty Kent peg tiles often become attractive locations for wild birds, rodents and a plethora of other animals. Of course, wildlife is a natural part of the environment – and we love our natural world – but animals invading a property can cause significant (and costly) damage if left unchecked.

In this post, we’ll explore why animals target roofing, what kinds of damage they can cause – and look at how to prevent running afoul of a fowl (or a rodent, for that matter).

Why are wild animals drawn to heritage roofing?

Animals like roofing for the same reasons we do; roofs offer shelter, warmth and safety. This makes them an ideal nesting spot for many animals, but traditional roofing materials, like thatch, are especially appealing.

That’s because they mimic the natural environments that many wild species are used to. Thatch can make for a soft, insulated nesting material – which rodents like rats and mice find particularly inviting.

Tiles, on the other hand, create small gaps that birds, bats, and other flying creatures can easily squeeze into – using the spaces within to build nests or to take shelter from the elements.

Roof damage from wildlife tends to be more prevalent in rural areas and villages, where homes are close to fields and woodland. One bat deciding their bat box is no longer the Ritz and taking shelter in your roof is unlikely to lead to too many problems – but over time, the presence of wild creatures can go from a minor nuisance to a major problem…

Types of wildlife that target roofs

Rodents

These small creatures like mice and rats are notorious for gnawing on roofing materials. Rats can cause extensive damage as they chew through insulation, wood and even electrical wiring in their quest to build nests. They multiply quickly, and their presence can also invite predators – and lead to health concerns (they are rats, afterall). 

Birds

Pigeons, starlings, sparrows, and many other small birds like to seek refuge under loosened roof tiles or eaves, especially during nesting season. While birds themselves may not directly damage roofs, their nests can block drainage systems, lead to tile displacement, and cause leaks during heavy rainfall. Chimneys are also prime targets for nests, too; perhaps because of the escaping heat.

Bats

Bats can be more difficult to manage because many are considered protected species.

They usually settle in roof cavities and under loose tiles, causing minimal structural damage. The problem is their guano, which can accumulate over time, leading to staining and nasty smells – not to mention health risks and other pests!

Squirrels

Squirrels have been known to chew through roof vents, soffits, and fascia boards to access attics – building nests using insulation. Like other rodents, they may chew on wiring, creating a fire hazard.

The damage wildlife can cause to historic roofing

The damage caused by wildlife in heritage roofing can be extensive if not addressed promptly:

Chewing, pecking and burrowing by rodents and birds can weaken structural elements like beams, insulation, and roof tiles. Over time, this can compromise the integrity of your roof.

Nests and displaced tiles can lead to blocked gutters and downspouts – preventing water from draining properly. This can result in water pooling, leaks, mould growth, and even rot.

Animal droppings can carry diseases and contribute to poor indoor air quality. Accumulated droppings can also attract insects, and lead to infestations.

And last but not least – there’s the fire risk. Animals that chew on electrical wiring create a significant risk of fire. Any roof that’s had animals in it should be inspected for damaged wiring.

How can you stop wildlife from damaging your period property roof?

Thankfully, there are several humane and effective ways to stop wildlife from damaging your roof. We recommend being proactive, and using a combination of deterrents and physical barriers.

Decoys and visual deterrents

You might have seen wooden crowns or owls adorning some roofs around you. It’s not actually decorative – it’s one of the simplest ways to deter birds from entering a roof. Decoys of predatory birds create the illusion of danger, making birds less likely to approach your roof. If crows themselves are the issue, shiny round objects have been known to deter them – but this then has been known to attract magpies… So, you have to pick your deterrent wisely!

Humane trapping

For more persistent animals like squirrels and rodents, humane traps can be used to capture them safely. Once caught, they can be relocated to a suitable natural habitat, away from your home. Follow your local guidelines for wildlife relocation.

Sealing gaps and installing mesh

Closing off potential entry points prevents animals from getting inside in the first place. Vents, chimneys and eaves can be fitted with mesh or other barriers that allow airflow but prevent wildlife from entering. Gaps under tiles or between roofing materials should also be sealed, and any loose tiles addressed, too.

Rewilding and habitat management

In some cases, creating a more suitable habitat for wildlife away from your home can help. Providing safe birdhouses or bat boxes near your property can encourage animals to settle there instead of in your roof!

Heritage Roofing Specialists Since 1984

We specialise in kent peg tile roof repairs, heritage property roofing – and undoing the damage done to historic roofing by wildlife.

For a quote, contact us at [email protected].

As a heritage roofing specialist, we have taken our services to many of England’s historic
properties – some of which are listed as Grade I or Grade II. This is what we mean by
“heritage listed buildings”, which we’ll explain in more detail below, as well as how to find out
if a property is listed.

What are listed buildings, and how are they protected?

Listed buildings are “properties that have been recognised for their historical or architectural
significance”.

A listed building doesn’t necessarily have to be beautiful, in the conventional sense. There
are some striking examples of brutalism and plenty of controversial additions to the list
– each interesting or significant in their own way.

But beautiful or not, all of these buildings are protected by law to preserve their character,
and to make sure that any alterations or repairs are sympathetic to their original design.
In England, the responsibility for listing buildings lies with Historic England, which maintains
the National Heritage List for England (NHLE). This is where anyone can go to check if a
building is listed.

How to check if a property is listed

To check if a property is heritage listed, visit the Historic England website and use the
search tool. Simply enter the property address or name – or even just the rough area if you
aren’t sure – and the database will show if the property is listed, along with a map, details
about its significance and its protection status.

The search tool can also help you find all the heritage listed buildings in a town or postcode
area, which is useful if you’re a fan of history and want to explore it – in your hometown, or
further afield.

The significance and historical importance attached to them means that heritage listed
buildings can prove to be difficult beasts to work on for their owners.

For example, when performing roofing work on a listed building gets tricky, finding the right
roofer for the job can be hard – especially with so many old-fashioned skills and trades
becoming extinct.

But it’s vitally important that these buildings are cared for properly.

Importance of maintenance and using a heritage roofing specialist

Maintaining a listed building is part of the contract for anybody who owns one.

Remember, they’re protected by law, and regular maintenance – fixing things that go wrong,
and not allowing the building to decay – is a big part of that. Roofing is a huge element in
maintenance because if the roof goes wrong, the whole building goes wrong. It’s a major
vulnerability, which exposes the building to the elements in ways that other failure points
don’t.

As we’ve explored in the past, you don’t have to use a heritage roofing specialist to carry out
work on listed properties. But you really should – and here’s why.

Only specialist roofers have the expertise and experience needed to do the job right.

They’re the last line in hard-earned knowledge, passed down over generations. They know
how these age-old roof structures were made. They have practical experience of working on
them, and a deep understanding of how they work and react to subtle changes.

They’ll be bound to using appropriate materials and techniques that comply with
conservation requirements.

And heritage roofing specialists understand the unique challenges posed by listed buildings
– and to their owners.

They’ll know where to source traditional materials and how to replicate historic
craftsmanship. This kind of invaluable knowledge is what makes the difference, and sets
them apart from everyday roofers.

You can be confident that any repairs or replacements are in line with the building’s original
character, and meet the legal requirements associated with listed heritage buildings.

So – checking if a property is heritage listed on the NHLE is easy as pie. But regular
maintenance by a heritage roofing specialist can be, too.

Tenterden Roofing has been trusted by countless heritage building owners – including
churches and cottages, public and private properties – to repair, maintain and restore some
of the most important structures in the UK. And we can do the same for you.

Heritage Roofing Since 1984

Get the advice and help you need, from our experienced team of heritage roofing specialists.
For a quote, contact us at [email protected].

Owning a period property is a dream for some people. They’re full of unique charm and character, and are almost always set in a beautiful location.

It’s not hard to see the appeal.

Sure, it’s like living in a throwback. But for anyone who’s been in an old cottage or barn, you’ll know the feeling that old buildings evoke.

They feel grounded, permanent, and “real” – and that’s a vanishing commodity in a world of 60 second video loops of influencers dancing for likes from strangers.

But period properties also come with challenges, particularly when it comes to maintaining heritage roofing.

Heritage roofing on a period building is, of course, a vitally important structural element – but it’s also a key component in preserving the historical identity and significance of the building. Unfortunately, heritage roofing that is left without inspections or regular maintenance is susceptible to a range of issues that can compromise its functionality, aesthetics and value – if not addressed properly.

So, let’s break down the top heritage roofing issues faced by period property owners, and explore how to solve them.

What are the top roofing challenges faced by period property owners?

Charming though they may be, period properties come from a time long before building regulations. And while typically over-engineered and permanent-feeling, period buildings aren’t indestructible – or impervious to the elements.

The top challenges faced by period property owners are all kind of inter-related, but don’t necessarily stem from one singular issue.

Damp

Damp in older properties can be caused by a ton of things, and diagnosing it takes expertise. Experienced surveyors are well versed in period buildings constructed from all manner of materials – from wattle and daub to Kent peg tiling. But finding the root cause of dampness can be a challenge.

It can be from poor damp coursing at the base of the property, allowing damp to permeate through porous brick, stone – or horsehair-stuffed lathe and plaster! Or, it can be due to water ingress caused by damaged or deteriorating heritage roofing. It can be a combination of things, including unknown leaks or condensation buildup; it can even be from neighbouring properties, or linked to water table activity.

Damp is really problematic, and as hard as it is to diagnose, it’s even harder to resolve. But it really does need to be fixed as soon as possible, because damp leads to rot. And rot is devastating to old buildings.

Heritage roofing needs to be checked for signs of damp regularly, through routine inspections and maintenance.

Rot

Window frames, fascias, sills and doors are very prone to rot due to their constant exposure to rain and temperature fluctuations – and this is easy enough to spot.

But a loft space under heritage roofing is probably seldom seen. Any roofing that isn’t sufficiently breathable can cause damp to build up, causing any natural materials within to rot. A single warm, wet summer can be enough for rot to set in, slowly transforming the once mighty timber holding the roof up into soft, useless fibres.

This has potentially ruinous implications for the structure as a whole, slowly rotting every natural material from the inside out. It’s so important to make sure heritage roofing is sufficiently breathable, as well as free from leaks, to allow moisture to evaporate away.

Mould

Mould is the ugly twin of rot – a terrible health hazard, even in small pockets. Black mould is a particularly toxic species that can grow on wallpaper and plaster when it’s sufficiently damp.

Mould problems are mainly the result of a lack of ventilation and maintenance, but can also arise after renovations that inhibit the property’s natural breathability. Period properties are almost like living, breathing things in that way – and “choking” them with modern building methods can cause damp, rot and problems to spread.

Practical solutions

How can period property owners protect their heritage roofing – and the property as a whole – from these common issues? Let’s look at some practical solutions.

Inspections and maintenance

Regular inspections are a must – even if it’s a non-expert having a look. Damp and mould have a very particular smell, but hopefully, you’ll have noticed any damp by touch long before any smells.

Ideally, a trained heritage roofing specialist will be making regular trips to your property, to carry out routine maintenance. This will make sure that any potential issues are identified early on, and addressed before they become major problems.

Sticking to conservation conventions

Typically, historic buildings in England are not obligated to adhere to building regulations. But sadly, sticking to conservation guidelines is not always possible. It’s very complex, and taken on a case-by-case basis, but generally, if the property is to undergo significant renovations or a change in usage, that might trigger modern regulations to apply. 

Wherever possible, seek period-correct, conservation-grade suppliers and tradespeople – like the friendly, expert team at Tenterden Roofing.

Heritage Roofing Since 1984

Get the advice and help you need, from our experienced team of heritage roofing specialists. For a quote, contact us at [email protected].

Well – we actually do. There are plenty of new build properties out there, built with traditional methods and materials. Shakespeare’s Globe is just one western example. And elsewhere, ancient building methods using mud and wood are still used to this day.

But the question is mostly aimed at houses, specifically the ones we’re used to seeing in suburbs and cities. There’s a stark contrast between the old, established Victorian and Georgian homes, the brutal yet functional homes of the mid 1900s, and the “uncanny valleys” of seemingly copied and pasted new build estates.

To some of us, older means better. To others, it means damp, and built without fire regulations considered. The truth is, all kinds of homes are perfectly fine – and we can choose for ourselves what we love. It’s okay to like new builds, and to live in them without having to do much maintenance. It’s okay to like older houses, and to enjoy fixing them up.

Nobody’s wrong. But.. yes, there’s a but – historical preservation matters. And design matters. 

And design extends beyond the way something looks, into how it works.

So, this brings us to the reasons why modern buildings often win out over old fashioned ones. Number one – cost.

Old methods are expensive

Before World War II, the cost to build a home could be broken down into something like 80% spent on materials and 20% labour (not exactly; this is just a rough idea to illustrate a point).

That figure has now all but flipped on its head. Rising labour costs brought better living standards – but to make buildings affordable, engineers, architects and builders looked for cheaper, faster ways to make homes.

Modern materials and techniques are far cheaper, and sometimes far better than the old ways of building. However, there seems to have been a runaway effect of mass-produced boxes masquerading as homes, which have cheapened the craft in more ways than one – and left property developers and builders with a less than stellar reputation…

This is because, no matter what materials and techniques are used, it is design that matters the most.

Design still matters

We’ve seen some beautiful modern new builds, built in a sympathetic style to their surroundings. We’ve even seen whole estates that look like old streets – with meandering lanes and cobblestones, open green spaces, and materials that match the local area.

Some developers really do try.

The issue is the ones that have clearly put profit above all else, converting a tiny bit of land into as many homes as is possible within the limits of the law. Near-windowless properties, gardens that back onto each other – not a hint of privacy, nor the freedom to make a sound for fear of it travelling through the paper-thin walls.

This isn’t simply a materials problem. It’s design. It’s planning.

It’s shameful.

But the principles of old design can live with new materials. They can live with old materials, too..

Can period roofing really be integrated into new builds or modern extensions?

Yes! Integrating the best of modern buildings with the best of old is probably one of the clearest ways forward when it comes to solving the “cookie cutter housing” issue.

There’s no doubt that modern homes are faster to build, cheaper, more energy efficient – and even safer – than older homes. But they can lack heart and charm, and can destroy the whole look and feel of the area they’re built in.

Merging the two is a Goldilocks situation. We’ve had the privilege of extending old homes with old period roofing – built upon a structure that superficially matches the old home, but has all the benefits of modern wiring, plumbing and insulation.

And on the flip side, it’s posse to start from scratch, with a period roof built upon modern materials and designs – for the best of both.

It’s all about balancing tradition, heritage, longevity, economics, safety and privacy. But when it comes to period roofing, it can be a major win for an area facing development.

Period roofing on modern builds

Period roofing on modern properties can help preserve the surrounding area’s history and charm. It pays homage to the historical aesthetics that make an area attractive – but also serves as a bridge between the past and the future.

And the future is unstoppable. We face a growing population, and a seemingly never ending shortage of homes for us all.

Finding a balance between the charm of the old days and the practicality of modern building practices might just be the key to creating better homes and shared spaces, as we push ahead into the decades to come.

Period Roofing Specialist since 1984

Hire an experienced period roofing specialist with the necessary tools, techniques and training to get an exceptional result. To get a quote, contact us at [email protected]. 

Kent peg tiles are beautiful, hardwearing and good for the environment. But like any other roofing material, Kent peg tiles are not totally indestructible or free of problems. Things can (and do) go wrong with Kent peg roofs – even with proper care and maintenance.

Let’s go over the common reasons we’re called in for Kent peg tile roof repairs, problems you might encounter, and why maintaining your Kent peg tiled roof is so important.

Common Kent Peg tiled roof failures

Storm damage

All roofing, Ket peg or otherwise, is susceptible to storm damage. High winds are the main culprit, and storms that are strong enough to blow down fences are likely to pick off some roof tiles on your street, too.

The fact that Kent peg tiles overlap and are nailed down means that they have a fair amount of resilience in the wind – but they’re not indestructible. A powerful storm can dislodge tiles, leaving your roof vulnerable to leaks and water damage. Inspecting your roof after a storm is so important, and can save you a lot of hassle and damage down the line.

Insurers do cover storm damage, but only if a roof is well maintained. If your insurance company can prove that the root cause of failure is lack of maintenance or wear and tear (basically, that the roof was essentially done for in the event of a storm, and no attempt was made to secure it) – then cover may be declined.

Frost damage

Old England is no stranger to the cold. And frost can pose a significant threat to Kent peg tiled roofing.

Although the natural clay that Kent peg tiles are made from is a brilliant waterproofing material, it is slightly porous – so it does absorb a small amount of water, particularly on the weather-facing side.

When the water absorbed by the clay freezes, it expands. Over the course of a winter, repeated freezing and thawing can stress the material, weakening it, and causing the outer layers of the tile to crack off. Over time, this can compromise the roof’s ability to shed water effectively.

Regular inspections in the colder months can help you identify any potential frost damage, so you can repair the roof in good time.

Rusted nails

Rusty nails are super tricky to identify, because they’re hidden away. But a failed nail can lead to a domino effect of issues – literally! One falling tile can take others with it, damaging the roof on the way down. Inspecting and replacing rusted nails is a part of routine maintenance that should not be overlooked, but it takes a professional to get up there and check things out.

Treated nails can be used, as well as aluminium nails – and while not traditional, remember that these tiles used to be secured with wooden pegs (hence the name), which were far less sturdy than nails!

It’s not all exclusive to Kent peg tiled roofs…

It’s important to note that many of the problems discussed here are not unique to Kent peg tiles. Storm damage, frost damage, and rusted nails can affect plenty of other roofing materials. This just highlights how important it is to get your roof checked over by someone who knows period and heritage roofing well – and to have maintenance carried out by a properly trained professional.

The power of maintenance

How do you stop your roof failing? Well, you can’t stop the forces of nature… But the answer to this question is always regular maintenance. Powerful storms might still do a number on your property – but to even stand a chance of getting your buildings insurance to cover it, the roof has to be in good shape, assessed by a professional, with a receipt to prove it.

Choosing a Kent peg roofer who specialises in the maintenance of these unique tiles is your best bet.

So there you have it; prevention is better than the cure!

Specialist Kent Peg roof tile repairs

Tenterden Roofing is a heritage-grade Kent peg roofer, providing Kent peg roof tile repairs. Contact us for a quote at [email protected].