Something made a tidy 3/4" diameter hole through my 8-year old 3-tab composite roof shingles. (~45 deg pitch, if it matters) I suspect it was a woodpecker (they used to go at the side of the house, till we wrapped it in hardi-plank.) Another possibility is yellowjackets - this Seattle house has had its share.
The hole seems a little large to be yellowjacket-created, but I don't know, really. I am surprised at anything taking the time to go through the asphalt like this. Anyone know what it could be? Can I just replace the affected shingles and call it good?
Details:
- 1908 construction, re-roofed in 2007
- 45 degree pitch roof
- 50-yr architectural 3-tab. 8 years old
- Hole cleanly penetrates 3/4" plywood underlay.
- 25 feet above ground level (Any solvent would have to have come from a flying source)
- Hole is nearly vertical (not perpendicular to plane of roof. EDIT: Looked more carefully-it is a little past vertical (Farther from perpendicular to plane of roof.)
- Hole is above where ceiling meets roof (sloped ceiling. Not accessible.)
- There are no power cords running through the rafter bay at that spot.
- I fished around with an olive grabber and recovered a couple of pine needles and insulation from about two inches down.
- A red-shafted northern flicker has taken serious interest in this house in the past, and still frequents our lawn and pine trees.
- Looking around the area, I found a half dozen beginnings of other holes, diameter of a pencil eraser, halfway through the outermost layer of shingles. Could be old. The large hole could be old too.
It is bizarre. I give up. Onto the repair.
I'll get more/better photographs tonight.