How you can be proactive in preventing wild animal invasions in your home | Pet Peeves
Fall is here. Isn't it wonderful? We are getting the cooler air, and all the pumpkin spice flavored foods and drinks are making their appearance. Fall of the year makes me think of squirrels running around burying their nuts and things.
Did you know that every year hundreds of local residents find themselves dealing with wildlife invasions? Fall breeding season finds many squirrels, birds, opossums and raccoons hunting for safe dry places to raise their young. They may target the attic or a fireplace chimney.
They can even work their way into a window air conditioner. That happened to me one time. I found a bird nest complete with eggs wedged into the folds of the window unit air conditioner. The air conditioner was ruined.
Tips to prevent wild animals from invading your home
It can be aggravating and expensive to deal with a wild animal in your home, so be proactive in preventing these invasions.
First and foremost, don't encourage an event by feeding wild animals. If possible, don't feed your own pets outside. If you do feed pets outside, pick up any leftovers by dusk. Also be sure to secure the garbage cans so that no food or food odors escape. This is really important around the coast, because we are seeing a lot of black bear invasions. Black bears are attracted to trash and food left out. Black bears are more than just annoying and destructive, they are dangerous. Speaking of bringing things in at dusk, it is a good idea to keep your pets in at night, away from roaming coyotes, owls, and foxes which can also be dangerous to small pets.
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Around the house, look for, and fill in, gaps in soffits or fascia, also in underpinning or lattice work. Look for cracks or holes wider than 1/2 inch in concrete, concrete block foundations, and mortar joints. Also look for unsealed places where wires or pipes penetrate the exterior of the home. Low-lying decks should have lattice or wire mesh around the bottom, preferably buried part-way into the ground.
Up on the roof, attic vents and ridge vents should be inspected for holes in screening or loose parts. Chimney tops should have screening or other wire mesh (hardware cloth) secured around their openings. Many animals perish because they fall down between the inner and outer pipe of a multi walled metal chimney pipe and can't get out.
Vent pipes for toilets and sinks should also be screened. This can be done with some aluminum screen and hose clamps. Squirrels and other animals can fall down these stacks and either die or appear in your toilet bowl one morning.
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In the attic, screening or hardware cloth needs to be secured behind gable vents. In the kitchen, bath, and laundry you should seal gaps in places where pipes come through walls and floors. Also make certain that your dryer vent door is free of obstruction and working properly.
These are all great suggestions. A quick review of one's home can target areas that need securing. I would like to thank Mr. Jack Gill of Valparaiso for these great tips.
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Tips to prevent wild animals from invading your house this fall
