If your property or your neighbor's property has been infested with rats, the rats might even get on your roof. Rats are skilled climbers, so they can climb up the side of your house in some cases, or they can climb up trees and jump on your roof. Roof rats and fruit rats are good climbers and more likely to be on your roof and in your attic than Norway rats that like to stay close to the ground.
However, it doesn't really matter what kind of rats you have. You want to get rid of them so roof repairs can be done before your roof starts leaking. Here are common damages caused to a roof by rats, and repairs that might be needed.
Scratch Granules Off Of Shingles
If rats like to play on the roof or scratch and claw at it to get inside, they may knock off a lot of granules. When rats are out roaming around, they tend to follow the same paths over and over. They leave scent trails behind so other rats can follow the same path. That means granule loss could be severe along a rat path instead of being spread out.
Granule loss causes your roof to age faster. Your roofer might want to replace the shingles that have lost a lot of granules so they don't wear out and start leaking. They might also just glue more granules on the old shingles if the old shingles are still in good shape.
Chew Holes In Shingles
Rats have a need to chew on things constantly. They might decide to gnaw on your asphalt shingles in addition to clawing at them with their sharp claws. When a roof repair contractor looks your roof over for rat damage, they'll check for small holes and rips made by rat teeth and claws as well as other damage. Some damage might be repaired by closing a small hole, but the roofer might decide to replace any shingles that are damaged to prevent a future leak.
Gnaw And Claw Holes In The Roof
Since the deck is made of plywood and the fascia and soffit are made of wood, a rat can gnaw right through them, especially if the wood is soft from moisture damage. The roof repair contractor will check areas on the roof, soffit, and fascia to look for holes rats gnawed open to get in your attic.
Since rats usually follow the same route, there may only be a single hole. The roofer may need to replace a small section of the deck or replace a fascia or soffit board. Replacing the gnawed area also gets rid of the odor that attracts rats, so that might be a better choice than covering the hole up with a metal patch.
For more information about roof repairs, contact a local company, like Twin City Roofing Construction Specialists, Inc.