While doing my Spring home inspection I noticed woodpecker holes in my siding. How can I repair the holes?

Woodpeckers use their bills to peck holes in wood, trees and then stick their long, barbed tongues inside to poke around for insects and excavate holes for nesting at night. Woodpeckers also do this to stake out their territory and locate mates. If a woodpecker views your home as its territory, it may cause exterior damage and annoy you with its drumming. Here are a few tips on how to keep woodpeckers away from your home.

If you plug up the holes left by woodpeckers on outdoor structures without first ridding your property of what is attracting them, they will return to the same or nearby locations. Repair always should start with eliminating the insects that woodpeckers feed on.

First eliminate any insect infestations, i.e. carpenter ants, carpenter bees and or terminates. In some cases, if the infestations are significant you will need to seek an exterminator prior to processing on the repair.

You can then repair the damage by plugging up holes left by woodpeckers in your wood siding. The holes can be filled with epoxy putty, mix the putty, and spread over the holes on the siding until completely covered. Scrape away any excess putty, let air-dry and sand before painting the patched area.