During inspections we commonly see trees and branches arching onto roofs. In some cases the tree is so close to the home the branches rub right against the shingles. Critters can and will use these natural ladders to access roof lines. The question is will cutting the branches back or the tree down completely keep critters off of a roof?
Unfortunately, the short answer is no. Although cutting arching tree branches back from a roof line could prove beneficial for the longevity of your roof it’s important to understand the capabilities of most critters.
Squirrels, raccoons and mice will commonly scale vertically up siding, bricks or downspouts to gain roof access. Squirrels are known to jump 4-6 ft from branch to branch or branch to roof. Mice and squirrels can also use electrical or cable lines attached to the roof for access. Cutting down trees and trimming branches could remove one avenue from critters accessing the roof but there are plenty of other ways they could still get on the roof.
Most common nuisance critters have the ability to climb and climb well. Critters adapt to their environments and can use a variety of existing materials on a home to climb to a roof. Cutting back tree branches from a home can offer plenty of benefits. However, before one redesigns their landscape by cutting down or trimming trees with the intent of eliminating critters from the roof line it’s important to note the expectation shouldn’t be “they can’t get up there now”.