On Feb 6, 8:49*am, David Robinson
wrote:
Following advice from this thread...http://groups.google.com/group/uk.d-...ad/262ef95c259...
...I put some extra vents from soffit level straight into the loft
space.

While cutting into the soffits, I've found birds nests! It seems the
cheeky beggars have popped under the bottom tiles, pecked the felt
away, and made a nice home for themselves on top of the inside of the
soffits.

I've stood outside the house and watched - and they're still at it!

I've found three separate nests, but there may be more - the one I
found when cutting into the soffit wasn't visible from inside the
loft.

Should I be worried? It's not that easy (as DIY) to do anything about
it. The soffits are over 1m lower than the level of the loft "floor",
so difficult/impossible to reach from inside. It's also impossible to
reach the felt to fix it.

Any ideas? Professional help? Ignore it? Hook them out?

The bird have not been _into_ the loft itself, and don't be able to
get once I put the insulation on the rafters.

Cheers,
David.

P.S. I though about pushing some chipboard down the line of the roof
from inside the loft to block the holes in the felts - but because the
joists and rafters meet at that point of the loft, the chipboard would
have to be "one joist width" narrower than the gap between the rafters
to get it past - so when it was pushed all the way down it would leave
enough space at the side for the birds to get back in.

They cause a few problems, like carrying loads of nesting materials
such as straw, and paper, which could also contain insect eggs such as
woodworm, and mealy worm. If the soft is of timber construction there
could be a fire risk if paint is being burnt off with a blow touch. It
takes only a bit of straw to catch alight and with in seconds the
whole lot is alight due to the draft under the felt.

You don’t say which type of roof tile is on the roof. If its a
concrete profile type there are special eve comb fillers which are
fixed to the top of the fascia board and also over fascia felt
supports. Theses eliminate the felt from sagging behind the fascia
board and the comb filler stops the birds from entering the sofit. All
you do is push the second row of tiles up to access the nails on the
bottom row. Take off the bottom row of tiles, cut back the bottom 6”
or 150mm of felt, put the felt support under the felt and pin it to
the rafter.
Then put the comb filler strip on top of the felt support, with the
lip on the inside and fix with a non corrosive nail through the pre
made holes, into the fascia top edge. Relay the tiles making sure that
the comb points out wards. Then pull down the second row.