Animals and awnings: problems and solutions

Owning an awning is a great benefit to your property. It helps reduce the cooling costs and provides shade. Plus, they are aesthetically pleasing and add value to your home.

However, because Australia has a thriving animal population and awnings are installed outside, there can be times where the two meet and problems arise. It is important to know what the impact animals can have on your awning and how to mitigate the risks.

Keep reading to learn how to deal with these creatures.

Birds

There are a myriad of brightly coloured, beautiful sounding native birds that call Australia home. We love them, but they can be annoying at times.

The renowned cockatoo, for instance, is one of our larger birds that’s known for being destructive to buildings, pulling apart gyprock and gutters. On some occasions, you can find them pulling on awnings as well.

Many other less destructive birds, like pigeons, can also pose a problem when they poop excessively on the awning. When the droppings dry, they harden and can stain or cause further damage to awnings over time. Plus, if you have an outdoor retractable awning, then the poop or perhaps dropped seeds or branches can cause damage when retracted.

There are two approaches to removing birds from your awning. One is to scare them away. Placing a large fake predatory bird or animal on the roof of your home that’s visible to the birds will cause them to stay clear of the area (at least until they become brave enough to return).

The other method is to set up an outdoor area designated for their feeding. This may attract more birds which can be a beautiful sight, but it often prevents them from landing on the awning and rather lures them to a different spot.

Whichever method you choose, there is no foolproof solution for birds. But be sure to clean and maintain your awning fairly regularly as to avoid build-up of debris.

Possums

Australia is home to some of the cutest mammals on Earth — and the humble possum is one of them.

However, this small animal can be a nuisance when running around on our roofs or on our awnings. Thankfully, they don’t do too much damage — but they may inadvertently scratch surfaces if not careful.

If you have motion sensors for lights or sprinklers, this is a good start at scaring possums away from your home. But surprisingly, possums hate the smell of garlic. You can use this or other store-bought repellents to keep them away.

Critters and frogs

Lastly, small bugs and frogs can easily find their way on your awning. They don’t pose any immediate danger at all as they are too small to do any real damage. However, if dead bugs build up on your awning, it may lure larger animals for feeding or can cause an ant infestation.

Frogs, on the other hand, can stick and then dry up on surfaces when dead, causing stains.

The best solution for bugs is to just be aware that they can build up. Try to wash or wipe the awning as soon as you notice lots of critters. You can use repellent around the awnings to create a preventative barrier.

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Overall, your awnings will likely be fine to withstand the Aussie animals, but it is good to understand and know how to deal with potential problems for your retractable, straight drop or window awnings in Sydney.

If you want more information or perhaps are wondering where you can get awnings for sale, then contact our friendly team at Eureka Awnings on 1300 789 886.