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Dealing With Wildlife in Your Washington Crawl Space: Prevention and Removal Strategies

When it comes to pests in your home, small to medium-sized rodents or reptiles might access your home’s crawl space for a variety of reasons. They might want to hibernate during the colder months or search for a cooler place to nest in the summer. No matter when these pests get into your attic access space, this isn’t a problem you can ignore. Once pests get into this part of your home, they can damage your wood, insulation, and other essential components. They can also spread diseases to your family through bites, scratches, and their droppings. If you’re concerned about your family’s health, you can address this issue by learning how to prevent and eliminate pest infestations. Preventing Pest Infestations: Seal Off Your Crawl Space While sealing off your attic or access space, several things must be considered. This is a multi-step project that might require the help of home maintenance professionals. As you plan each step in the project, consider whether it’s a task you can handle safely without skilled help. Identify Common Access Points There are several ways pests can get into your attic space. The size and traits of the pest will determine their ability to get inside your home. Insects and other tiny critters can squeeze through much smaller spaces than squirrels, skunks, or chipmunks. Common pest access points include: Chimney flue Plumbing or electrical access points Roof joints and exterior gutters Attic and roof vents Gaps in soffits and fascia boards Gaps in other parts of your home’s construction Access points for other pipes, vents, and ducts While you can completely seal some gaps and holes, sealing off other access points might not be easy. For example, you’ll have to ensure exhaust can still travel through vents. For those home features, install wire mesh coverings.

Dec 8 2023

Attic Cleaning and Allergen Control: Improving Indoor Air Quality in San Diego Homes

You might not think attic cleaning is important when it comes to home maintenance. Unfortunately, letting an attic space get dusty and cluttered can lead to problems. You may miss something important, such as a roof leak, when your attic is cluttered. Additionally, a poorly maintained attic can contribute to indoor air quality issues. How a Dirty Attic Affects Your Indoor Air Quality Over time, a neglected attic will accumulate layers of dust. It won’t be long before pests, including dust mites, begin inhabiting a dirty and cluttered attic. As more dust accumulates, those dust particles, dust mites, pest feces, and other contaminants will get picked up by the air in your home. While the filter in your HVAC system should clean most of these particles from your treated air, some dust and debris will still circulate throughout your home. This can lead to allergic reactions, more frequent asthma attacks, skin conditions, and other health concerns. If you haven’t inspected your attic in recent months, changes in your family’s health will indicate a need for attic cleaning. Some signs to watch for include frequent sneezing or coughing. A dry or scratchy throat can also indicate poor air quality. Dry sinuses, itchy skin, and brittle hair are more signs that you should have your attic cleaned. What to Know About Your Dust Mites Allergy Dust mites are difficult to see unless you’re looking for them. They thrive in dark, humid places where they can feed on dead human skin cells, so it’s common to find them in neglected residential attics or crawl spaces. People who suffer from asthma or have allergic reactions to mites are more severely affected by the presence of dust mites. Dust mites don’t directly cause these reactions. They don’t bite, sting, or burrow into the skin. Instead,

Dec 5 2023

Safe and Humane Bird Removal: Protecting Both Birds and Attics in San Diego

When it comes to attic infestations, chances are that the first thing you think of is rodents. However, San Diego is also home to various birds that love to roost in residential attics. To find the best solution for people and birds alike, turn to humane bird-proofing & bird removal instead of lethal methods. Types of Birds You Might Find in Your Attic in San Diego Bird-proofing & bird removal are two different tasks, with associated methods that can vary depending on the specific type of bird you’re dealing with. Different parts of the country have their own unique bird challenges based on the particular species present. In San Diego, you’re likely to find your attic inhabited by either pigeons or house sparrows. Seagulls are another common pest bird, but their larger size and nesting habits make them a less likely culprit. Both pigeons and house sparrows are small enough to work their way through tiny openings you may not have noticed before. While these are the two most common suspects, other birds may decide to nest in your home as well. This can complicate the bird-proofing & bird removal process, as the nesting season and conservation status of different birds can impact the prescribed solution. Why You Need to Get Birds out of Your Home If you notice birds entering or exiting your attic or hear signs of their presence, don’t ignore them. While birds may seem harmless, they can actually be a serious problem. Their activities can affect your home in many ways, none of them good. First, you have a pressing health concern on your hands, as both pigeons and house sparrows are known to carry a wide range of diseases. You don’t even need to have direct contact with any winged interlopers since bird-born diseases can

Nov 28 2023

Weathering the Elements: How Pacific Northwest Climates Affect Crawl Space Integrity

The climate throughout the Pacific Northwest makes it an excellent place to live. However, it also poses a variety of maintenance challenges for homeowners. If you own a home in the Pacific Northwest, you could find yourself dealing with a variety of crawl space issues. Watch out for these factors that could impact your crawl space integrity. Humidity in Coastal Areas The Pacific Northwest includes areas that have varied climates. However, the majority of the population lives along the coast, where the Pacific Ocean has a significant influence over local climate and weather. This is wonderful when it comes to providing moderate temperatures, but it also contributes to high humidity. Humidity can be a real problem for crawl spaces. As the warm air outside enters the crawlspace, it can begin to cool. That means it will hold less water, causing condensation. This can lead to water accumulating in the crawl space even without any rain. Due to this high humidity, your crawl space could have damp conditions at almost any time of year. The persistent humidity can lead to all kinds of mold, mildew, and fungus growth. It can cause wooden structures to rot and impact other building materials as well, such as causing metal to rust more quickly. If you’re anywhere near the coast, humidity is one of your top concerns when it comes to taking care of your crawl space. You might consider options such as a vapor barrier to prevent moisture accumulation from taking such a significant toll. Fluctuating Temperatures and Your Crawl Space The ideal scenario for just about any type of structure is to always maintain the same temperature. Of course, this simply isn’t a realistic expectation. No matter where your home is, you’ll experience temperature fluctuations between day and night and throughout the year.

Nov 21 2023

Rodent Entry Points in Orange County Homes: Identifying and Sealing Vulnerabilities

Does your home have the rodent proofing it needs to keep pests out? There are plenty of potential opportunities for Orange County pests to enter your home. Watch out for these likely entry points, and reach out for professional rodent proofing if you find yourself dealing with unwelcome guests. What Rodents Should You Worry About in Orange County? The specific type of rodent proofing you need to protect your home depends on the potential pests you have to worry about. Here in Orange County, a variety of different mice and rats work their way into attics and crawl spaces on a regular basis. One of the pests you are likely to find is the common house mouse. These mice love to make nests inside walls and can work their way into your home through the smallest gaps. They’re often found in both attics and crawl spaces in Orange County. The region has two distinct types of rats that cause homeowners trouble: Norway rats and roof rats. The Norway rat burrows, so it’s more likely to be found in your crawlspace. The roof rat, as the name suggests, is much more likely to make its home inside your attic. Rodent Entry Points in Orange County Homes Holes Around Your Foundation One of the first places to look is around the foundation of your home and in the crawl space. These are areas that often go overlooked, so gaps and cracks can develop over time without being noticed. These can allow rodents to enter your home and reach living spaces. Luckily, this is also an area that’s fairly straightforward to deal with in most cases. Sealing can provide lasting protection to keep rodents out of your home. If you notice any cracks or gaps around your foundation, you should reach out for

Nov 14 2023

The Impact Insulation Has on Controlling Temperature in San Diego Attics

It can be easy to overlook the importance of attic insulation installation in places with mild climates like San Diego. Without frigid winters, you might not think insulation is all that important. However, an uninsulated attic can see shockingly high and low temperatures during different seasons, even if the temperature outside doesn’t reach such extremes. Here’s how insulation installation can prevent these temperature fluctuations and protect your home. Temperature Extremes and Your Attic Attic insulation plays an essential role in preventing extreme temperatures. An uninsulated attic can become incredibly hot during the summer. Heat rises, so any warmth inside your home will eventually work its way up to the attic. You also have the sun pounding on your roof, which is likely covered with shingles that absorb heat. Insulation stops the flow of heat between your attic and the rest of your home, preventing heat from the house from making its way into the attic and vice versa. Proper insulation is essential to keep your home and its HVAC system off-limits from the warming effects of the attic, which should rely on its own ventilation. Installing a radiant barrier can also make a big difference. This barrier blocks radiant heat from your roof from making its way into the attic. As such, you can put a stop to the issue of dark-colored roofing absorbing too much sunlight and baking your attic. Proper Insulation Installation for San Diego Attics When it comes to insulation installation for San Diego homeowners, the required amount of insulation can vary depending on several factors. The most important is the temperature outside, which is why the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) divides the United States into distinct climate zones. San Diego falls into climate zone 3, which is one of the milder regions, avoiding both the sweltering

Nov 7 2023

Dealing With Wildlife in Your Washington Crawl Space: Prevention and Removal Strategies

Attic Cleaning and Allergen Control: Improving Indoor Air Quality in San Diego Homes

Safe and Humane Bird Removal: Protecting Both Birds and Attics in San Diego

Weathering the Elements: How Pacific Northwest Climates Affect Crawl Space Integrity

Rodent Entry Points in Orange County Homes: Identifying and Sealing Vulnerabilities

The Impact Insulation Has on Controlling Temperature in San Diego Attics

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