There are three ways you can fix loose gutter nails—all of which are fairly easy. On top of that, you only need a few basic tools, such as a hammer and an electric screwdriver. When removing dependent birds it is critically important to understand that any works required to exclude adult birds must be undertaken as soon as the squabs or juveniles have been removed from the roof void. Whilst you are active within the roof void adult pigeons will normally stay away, but as soon as activity ceases the adults will return. Therefore, as soon as the last adult bird has been excluded from the roof void all the access holes must be closed immediately. Pigeons will re-lay eggs as soon as their nest/eggs/young have been removed, so failure to undertake exclusion works promptly will result in birds simply re-entering the space and starting to breed once again. Having a build-up of pigeon poo and rotting debris comes with health risks. Pigeon guano is known to be a contributor to several human diseases and can exasperate those susceptible to lung conditions. An advantage of screws over nails is that they’re threaded, so they grind against the grain of the material they’re attached to. As a result, they have more holding power and are less likely to come loose. The screw hooks will be installed into the face of the chimney breast at either end of the apex of the roof by drilling two holes into the mortar joint of the breast, inserting a Rawlplug and then screwing the hook into it. The hooks should be installed approximately 3.5 inches above the height of the ridge tiles. Attach a spring to both the screw hooks and then attach the fishing line or steel wire to the springs. Pull the line/wire as taught as possible without stretching the springs too much and this completes the installation.

Accessing areas at height can be dangerous and not always possible without the use of specialist equipment and therefore we would only recommend the use of a ladder on a conventional two-storey house and only once a health and safety risk assessment has been undertaken. Where accessing and carrying out work to a soffit we would strongly recommend that a suitable platform, such as a scaffold tower or static scaffold, be used. Ideally, clean out the gutters before installing the bird spikes to ensure water flows in the gutter as it was designed. Once the nest has been abandoned you can clear and clean the gutters to your heart's content! Again, be careful with access and make sure you can competently use a ladder if needed. Lastly, place the screw through the hole and secure it to the fascia board with an electric screwdriver. Step 2 - Fixing: The Defender® Gutter Spike will fit all standard half-round or square plastic guttering or hoppers that do not have a lip or ornate design on the front edge. The gutter spike has 2 clips attached to the spike that just slip over the edge of the gutter and secure them in the correct position. The clips should just press into position no excessive force is required.As there are so many different window types, most of which require different products or solutions, we will discuss each window type separately. The principle of protecting a hopper is the same as with a gutter. In the case of a hopper a triangular 4-sided box of galvanised steel mesh is made up using either electrical cable ties or ‘C’ clips to join the 4 sections together. The box is then inserted into the hopper with the sharp edges facing upwards. This will stop pigeons nesting or roosting on or in the hopper and will also stop debris such as leaves and twigs entering it.

Additionally, you need to space spikes appropriately. This results in an equal weight distribution throughout the gutter. Another way to fix loose gutter nails is to remove them altogether and replace them with screws. After all, nails are used in older gutter installations. It is also important to mention that if you are about to inspect any internal area, particularly if there are a considerable number of pigeons in situ, it would be wise to wear a paper face mask. This is because well-dried pigeon excrement, when disturbed and inhaled, can cause minor irritation to the bronchial passages. There is no health risk as such, just take sensible precautions, as you would when in any environment where there are wild birds or animals. Although much is made of the potential for pigeons to pass on diseases to humans, it is almost unheard of for this to happen. Every species of bird, including domesticated birds, has the potential to carry and pass on diseases to other birds and humans, but the realistic chance of this happening to anyone that is installing deterrents on their property is virtually zero. For more information on cleaning products and protective clothing please read the Cleaning and Sanitising product/service review.

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If your gutter spikes keep pulling loose and silt, grit, or other small particles are building up in there, that is a clear indication that the gutter pitch is off. HOW TO FIX LOOSE GUTTER SPIKES Weather and climatic conditions are also to blame for those loose gutter spikes. This is especially true when your area experiences drastic temperature changes. A far simpler method of protecting a balcony of this type would be to use pigeon deterrent anti-roosting spikes. This product can be installed as a DIY installation by the occupier and should only take a matter of minutes once the appropriate anti-roosting spikes have been sourced. A high quality anti-roosting spike should always be used and, ideally, sourced from the Internet. An alternative to a conventional anti-roosting spike would be to install a pipe spike. The benefit of a pipe spike, particularly the Defender Pipe Spike™, is that it comes ready fitted with all the fixings required to install the product in seconds. Another area of a property where pigeons can sometimes be found roosting, but which is often overlooked, is either under the roof/gutter overhang of a dormer window or where two different roof levels meet and an overhang is created. When inspecting these areas it will be necessary to do so in daylight as it is unlikely that pigeons will be visible from the ground by torchlight. As the roosting birds are unlikely to be in situ during the daytime other evidence of roosting will have to be found. White staining on the lead flashing around a dormer window is normally conclusive evidence that pigeons have been roosting overnight. Likewise, white staining on the roof tiles in an area where two roof levels meet confirms that pigeons have been roosting in these areas. It is advisable to wear protective gear, such as gloves, goggles, masks and old clothes or overalls. The process is simple. Just scoop out all the debris, perhaps spray down with a suitable disinfectant, we would always recommend our Germ Clear™ Bird Droppings Disinfectant Spray