Bats, rats, raccoons, mice, and other animals are uninvited guests who can find their way to your roof and make it a home; while others like birds and squirrels, may find their way into your attic and pitch their tent there. These critters can cause damage to your roof: moreover, animal rustling and scratching at midnight can be disturbing. And nobody wants that.

Now, the question is, how does this website suggest you manage them to prevent damages to your roof? There are several ways you can keep your home free from animal infestation. And below are 6 of the commonest ways you can protect your roof from critters.

6 ways you can keep critters away from your house

Inspect your attic and carry out regular roof checks

Your attic can be the perfect hiding place for animals as they always search for a warm place to breed their kind. When you don’t inspect your attic regularly, you may arrive late to the party. One rat can give birth to a dozen more, a raccoon can turn into two tomorrow, and birds can weave their nests and make a family. And before you realize what is happening, you’re battling an animal infestation.

To avoid this, fix the damages on your roof as soon as you can. Because openings in your roof can be the passageway for critters to become your free-living tenant.

Likewise, regular roof maintenance is essential to extend the lifespan of your roof as well as to keep critters away. Inspecting your roof often can help you figure out roof problems and stop critters from taking advantage of it.

As often as you can, check roof areas that are vulnerable like the chimneys, vents, and gutters. Your roof sheathing, roof soffit intersections, or weak spots and holes in the roof, can be entry points for critters. As long as you practice good roof maintenance, you will discover these entry points before critters find them. Then, get a professional roofer to fix the holes and spaces that you can’t fix yourself.

Clear your gutters

Roof gutters are designed to collect water and give a direction to rainwater. But your gutters can be a home to some critters especially birds as it is a comfortable place for them to set up their nests. Moreover, if that gutter is full of debris, then you’ve issued a certificate of living to the birds and other critters.

And when this happens, they can easily find their way into your home. If you practice good roof maintenance you would discover that your gutter needs to be cleared. So, clean your gutters as often as you can to avoid clitters taking over.

Treat and trim trees around your home

Except for the critters that fly, trees can be the perfect ladder for these animals to climb to your roof. And you make the work easier for them if you allow tree branches to drop directly on your roof.

Therefore, I advise you to trim your long tree branches. And although this may not entirely keep the critters away, it surely makes their journey difficult.

Keep your trash at a distance

Raccoons and rats can sniff off food from miles away, and your trash probably contains reachable food. Consequently, it draws them to your home. And though your trash may not be near your roof, the critters may decide to explore your house (roof) after visiting the trash.

Therefore, you should keep your trash covered always and as far from your house as you can. Sealed containers work better as waste bins.

Fix damaged shingles

Harsh weather can bend, remove or weaken your roof shingles. When this happens, they become an easy entry point for animals. Critters can then follow that route to gain entry into your attic. To prevent this, inspect your roof regularly, especially after a heavy storm.

If your roof is always affected by bad weather conditions, you should consider switching to metal shingles. Contact your roofer for more details.

Go for metal roofing

Roofs can last for many years, as it depends on the material used. Although they are quite expensive, metal roofs are extremely durable and last longer than other roofing materials. Aside from that, harsh weather conditions do not affect them, unlike the other roofing materials. This makes it easier for you to prevent access posts of critters, as they cannot lose or pry off metal shingles. So, do use a metal roof if you can afford it.

Finally, if you don’t take care of your roof, critters will help mess it up for you. And since animals can now infest us, humans, with deadly viruses, trust me, the last thing you would want in your home is animal infestation. Follow the above steps and you won’t have any critters’ issues.

If you’ve done a price comparison on custom frames vs the premade frames you get in big department stores, you might be tempted to go with the premade option. Afterall, they are much cheaper. But are they worth it?

If you are framing a cheap photo print or an item that you don’t care that much about, perhaps the premade option is the better choice for you. However, if you’re framing a precious photograph, giving the frame as a gift or hoping it will last a long time, custom frames are definitely the way to go. They might be more expensive to buy, but in the long run they are much better value for money.

Check out the reasons below why investing in quality picture frames is worth it.

Preserve your precious items

Custom picture frames will protect your precious photographs and artwork, unlike the cheap, premade frames you get in department stores. These can actually end up damaging your artwork because they are made from acidic materials. Over time, the acid may cause discolouration or an unsightly yellow staining on your photographs or artwork. Many cheap, premade frames are also poorly constructed, which means they could break on you unexpectedly.

In contrast, professional framers use acid free mat boards and backings so that your precious items stay in good condition for longer. They also use UV resistant glass which can help prevent damage from the sun. A professional framer will use the correct techniques to ensure the frame is constructed in a sound and sturdy way.

Get the best results

Whether you’re framing a precious family photograph for Mother’s Day or an eye-catching landscape painting for your own wall, you’ll always get the best final result with a custom frame. They simply look more attractive than the cheap, pre-made frames which can chip and scratch at the slightest bump.

If you’re an artist or an art lover yourself, you’ll know that choosing the right frame is crucial. The frame is almost an extension of the art itself. Choose the right frame and your artwork will sing off the walls. Choose the wrong frame, and you can completely change the look of the artwork and distract the viewer away from what’s important.

You wouldn’t display a gorgeous bouquet of flowers in an empty tin can you pulled out of the recycling bin. It’s the same with your most precious photographs and art pieces – they deserve a beautiful frame to complement their beauty too.

Control every little detail

It can be hard to find the perfect frame in a department store. They’re often not quite the right size, or slightly the wrong colour. Or perhaps you’ve found yourself wishing that the premade options just had a bit more pizazz. Thankfully, you don’t have this kind of problem with custom frames. Quite the opposite! You can control every detail to achieve the exact look you’re going for.

Starting with the frame style – whether you want minimalist and chic or romantic and ornate, a professional framer can help you achieve the right look. They can also help you choose the ideal matt board colour and style to complement the work. Some artworks look great with a thin white matt board and others pop best with a thicker, coloured matt board.

When you choose a custom frame, it will be made to the right dimensions to perfectly balance your artwork or photograph – not the other way around. What’s more, if you want to display a series of photos in the one frame, or add in a piece of memorabilia, a professional framer can make your vision come to life.

Love your frames for longer

Are you trying to cut back on the amount of waste you throw out every year? Thoughtfully choosing a well-made frame that you know you’ll love for years to come is the more environmentally friendly choice.

Cheap and nasty frames get damaged easily and become unattractive very quickly which means you’ll probably want to throw them out and replace them in a few years. On the other hand, custom made frames are made to last a lifetime. As with any consumable product, it’s worth taking your time to choose an item you will love and cherish for a long time rather than the cheapest and most convenient option.

Support a local business

By choosing to get a custom frame, you are also choosing to support a local business rather than a billion-dollar corporation. Supporting a local small business can help you feel more connected and engaged with your community.

Check out picture framing near me for a high-quality custom frame that looks amazing, protects your artwork and will last a long time.