Squirrels Eating Lead Vent Stack Covers -II

Avery Sloan · Mar 21, 2005

I found this thread from several years ago, but no solutions were given.

: Squirels are chewing up the seven lead vent stack covers on my house roof. It is not possible to prevent their access to the roof nor is repelant or any thing which has to be reaplied practical. I am due for a reroof and was wondering about copper or galvanized metal vent stack covers as replacements, or if I have to go with lead is there some kind of paint which may be effective. The vent pipes are cast iron and are 1.5 and 2 inch size.
: Thanks

I have the same problem of squirrels eating my vent stack covers! I spent over $300 for a roofer to replace my covers a year ago and now most of them are all eaten away from the top down. My reliable roofer did tell me that squirrels like to eat the lead covers. What product can I purchase to go over the existing cast iron pipe/lead cover? I am not going to install another tasty lead pudding for my squirrels to nibble.

HELP!

Snowman · Mar 21, 2005

I had to make a decision based on what you just mentioned. Down here in Florida there is a black boot that fits over and slides down the pipe. The base of the boot is flat and is then covered with shingles. The boot fits so tight around the pipe that water can not run down the outside of the pipe into the attic.

Most roofers and/or people that I talked with agreeed that the lead type is the best. I no longer have squirrels around here.

Tom

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

Avery Sloan · Mar 22, 2005

Thanks, Snowman, but I am confused in that it sounds like you are describling the lead covers that my squirrels are eating. I want to replace the lead covers with some other product. The lead type is not the best for me.

Snowman · Mar 22, 2005

Sorry 'bout that......... What you need, based on what has been used down here since the hurricane took off so many shingled roofs, is a black vinyl boot that slips down over your vent pipe(s) and secures under the shingles. Even though they are vinyl, they last a long time.
This was on my roof for the past 18 years and there was no problem even with the hot Florida sun. Check with a roofer or two. I'm just a retired do-it-yourselfer having fun with limited knowledge

Hope this clarifies, Tom

Roofer2help · Jun 8, 2006

Neoprene

What he was trying to tell you was to use a boot flashing called a neoprene, this slides over the pipe and seals around it as well. The only real problem with these are that the neoprene part over time can dry rot, I have seen this several hundred times and it usually happens around the 7th to 8 th year. Tp eliminate this problem you can rub motor oil over the neoprene part and this will lenghten the life of the flashing. Its like cars you have to some maintenance with roofs aswell.

You can go to your local hardware store and pick these up, they come in all black or you can get the ones that are metal also. The part that is neoprene is the part that seals around the pipe. This will eliminate your problem with the squirrel I promise, I change these out for people with the same problem daily.

Bob NH · Jun 8, 2006

Brunswick Stew

There is my two-part solution for dealing with squirrel problems:

1. http://www.airgundepot.com/winchester-air-rifles-1000sb.html

2. http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipe/919/brunswick-stew-(squirrel-stew)-for-a-crowd.html

Gouranga · Jun 9, 2006

Bob NH said:
There is my two-part solution for dealing with squirrel problems:

1. http://www.airgundepot.com/winchester-air-rifles-1000sb.html

2. http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipe/919/brunswick-stew-(squirrel-stew)-for-a-crowd.html

LOL!! Truthfully though, my father did part one and his dog took care of part 2. I guess it depends on your personal respect for life. You could always get an exterminator and tell him rats are chewing those covers off. Interestingly enough, they can trap/bait/kill rats but not squirrels. Now if they happen to accidentally kill a squirrel while trying to catch a rat, that is alright. I had one eat its way through the edge of my roof then start knawing on my roof joist. The city wanted me to trap the bastard. Unfortunately the litte angel got caught in a rat trap that just happened to be sitting in my attic. Which was a much better death than what i would have done if the thing was alive in a trap up there. Now, if they can/will chew through a lead cover, I would think they may to the same with vinyl. You'd think they'd be dead from lead posioning by now.

Master Plumber Mark · Jun 9, 2006

lead boots

you can always just wrap the lead screens with another material

like chicken wire or a wire mesh that you use on dooor screens....

that should keep the little bastards away...

hj · Jun 19, 2006

squirrels

Shdes of "Failure to Launch" adn the mockingbird. If you do the thing with the pellet gun, be sure to do a good job, otherwise your daughters will have you doing CPR and mouth to mouth on him, and they can bite when they are upset with you.

Mikey · Jun 19, 2006

Squirrels!?

I tthought it was tree branches abrading the lead. I just wrapped what was left of the lead with -- tada! -- duct tape. Why would a squirrel want to eat lead? (Stock movie line: "Eat lead, varmint!"). Are they trying to commit suicide (very slowly)?

Weird.

Mikey · Aug 30, 2006

Repairing lead vent flashing

All of my lead vent flashings are rotting away at the top, where they fold over the PVC vents. I don't know if it's the Florida sun, cosmic rays, squirrels, or what, but the rain can now get through the gap and dribble down the outside of the vent pipe.

I've rigged a duct-tape fix, but I'm looking for something more permanent. It seems silly to rip out the old flashing totally, since all that's bad is the top inch or two. Is there a manufactured slip-on thing that will do the job?

Mike Swearingen · Aug 30, 2006

Black plastic wet-dry roofing cement will do the trick.
This stuff is very sticky, so wear rubber gloves, old clothes, etc. and just smear it on over the old flashing.
Good Luck!
Mike

Mikey · Aug 30, 2006

Actually, I had a can of the stuff in my hand while I was pondering what to do about them, but said nahh, there must be a better way. Back to the roof

.

mose1971 · Mar 4, 2009

Squirrels eating your boots

You can buy covers At gulfside supply in sarasota that just slip over the boots and they can not get to it.

mose1971 · Mar 4, 2009

Avery Sloan said:
I found this thread from several years ago, but no solutions were given.

: Squirels are chewing up the seven lead vent stack covers on my house roof. It is not possible to prevent their access to the roof nor is repelant or any thing which has to be reaplied practical. I am due for a reroof and was wondering about copper or galvanized metal vent stack covers as replacements, or if I have to go with lead is there some kind of paint which may be effective. The vent pipes are cast iron and are 1.5 and 2 inch size.
: Thanks

I have the same problem of squirrels eating my vent stack covers! I spent over $300 for a roofer to replace my covers a year ago and now most of them are all eaten away from the top down. My reliable roofer did tell me that squirrels like to eat the lead covers. What product can I purchase to go over the existing cast iron pipe/lead cover? I am not going to install another tasty lead pudding for my squirrels to nibble.

HELP!

You can buy covers @ either Suncoast or Shue & Kauffman roofing Supplies

Gary Swart · Mar 4, 2009

If you can't find a suitable product for sale, you might consider having a piece of extruded steel welded over one end of a steel pipe with a diameter wide enough to slip over the existing vent and slightly higher than the vent. You'd have to have the end of the pipe that rests on the roof beveled to match the roof pitch, and paint the steel to prevent rust.

hj · Mar 5, 2009

lead

One thing about the lead flashings, is that they are REQUIRED in some areas. The idea being that warmer air from the building will rise in the space beteen the stack/increaser and the flashing providing an additional barrier to hoar frost closure of the vent.

jmizell2 · Oct 8, 2009

lead pipes

In my neighborhood we found that the tree rats didn't like silicon caulk spread all over the lead boot. I guess they do not like the taste.

Alchemist · Oct 8, 2009

My neighbor is a wacko that thinks she was chosen to save squirrels. She raises them. I see her out in her yard and lets the young ones crawl all over her. They even sh!t on her, seriously.

My solution several years ago was to give my sons $1 for every dead squirrel they brought to me. Soon, they were so accurate with their 1000 fps pellet rifle (w./scope) that I made them switch over to bow. They can also hit them with a recurve.

Yes, I'm from Kentucky, but no, I don't eat those things...

tillio · Aug 21, 2010

I had the same problem with squirrels eating the flashing around my chiminey. I applied roofing tar to the flashing and haven't had any problems since.

Squirrels Eating Lead Vent Stack Covers -II

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