How to Seal Your Roof So Pigeons Can't Get In

Ensure that attic screens, windows and vent covers are firmly in place at least once a year and following seasonal changes.

Fill or cover any openings in the roof surfaces that may provide access to your attic and any ledges where pigeons could nest. These include openings in the roofing materials, vents and chimneys on the roof surface, eaves and overhangs as well as any ornamentation or architectural features that could provide shelter or nesting space.

Cover any opening that's 3/4 inch wide or greater to exclude smaller nuisance birds as well as pigeons. Use hardware cloth or wire mesh to screen off the openings. These materials are malleable, so you can mold them to fit openings of almost any size and shape.

Install netting under your eaves and around any features of your roof that create protected ledges where pigeons might shelter. Certain types of complex roof designs may leave gaps beneath the soffit or nesting ledges beneath portions of the eaves and where your roof and dormer meet. Staple netting in place to exclude birds from these areas. Position the netting around outdoor lighting fixtures, but provide access for routine maintenance by covering the fixtures fully, then cutting a flap-shaped opening in the netting and sealing it with plastic cable ties.

Run screening along the exposed ends of the tiles on barrel-tile roofs. Cut the screen to fit to the shape of the undersides of the tiles. Screw or staple into place.

Purchase a manufactured chimney cap and vent caps to prevent birds from entering these hollows. The method of installation for these devices depends on the materials involved.