Will is one of our installers in Homosassa, FL. Their info is on the home page in the Authorized Installers list.
Are there BATS in your BELFRY?
Of course, your modern home probably does not have a belfry or bell tower. And, I don’t believe nuisance bats are a common problem in this area. But, how about squirrels, mice or (yikes!) rats in your attic? If you’ve never encountered that situation count yourself lucky. I have had clients call me with this type of problem over the years but only recently experienced it myself. My husband and I were alerted to the presence of squirrels in our attic by what sounded like our electrical wiring being destroyed. It was quite a challenge to remove them. We bought a humane trap and baited it with different exotic treats trying to entice them into the trap. For several days the squirrels cost more to feed than we did, but we met with absolutely NO success. After many attempts we finally overcame by baiting the trap with common ACORNS of which there are literally thousands in our yard! I couldn’t believe they could be coerced to come into a trap to get something that was so easily obtained outside of it! One of my clients actually had a squirrel that ended up having BABIES in her attic so she had to have them professionally removed and the entire process took weeks. As was the case at my house, the squirrels typically find a hole in the soffit by which to enter the attic, especially during the cold weather. They can really do some damage if left to their own devices. With cool weather approaching, if you share your domain with squirrels it might be a good idea to check for and address any unwanted entries, especially at the soffit area.
Another vulnerable area where unwanted guests may come in is at the lead ‘boots’ over your plumbing pipes. A lead ‘boot’ is the soft, pliable piece of lead flashing that goes over each plumbing stack coming out of your roof. While it is supposed to last as long as the roof and keep rain out of your home, squirrels have a different plan. I hate to give squirrels a bad rap but if the shoe fits…Seems squirrels consider the lead ‘boots’ covering your plumbing pipes to be the tastiest snack since acorns. Once they attack the boots it can allow rain to leak into your home. This is a very common problem and not that easily corrected. In the past the ‘fix’ required replacing each affected boot with a new one and involved lifting up the existing shingles around the pipe and resealing them.
Another problem associated with the plumbing stacks is FROGS or RATS ending up in your toilet. Imagine your surprise to realize one morning that you are not alone in your a.m. ritual. I’d put that right up there with ‘bats in the belfry’ in the nuisance department.
Fortunately I recently learned about a fantastic retrofit product that eliminates the problems of both the rain and potential unwanted guests. It is a vent shield called the Critter Quitter. If your current lead boots have been damaged it is MUCH simpler to install and MUCH less costly than the methods used in the past. It fits right over the existing plumbing stack and the squirrels DON’T LIKE IT! It has the extra added attraction of a built-in ‘grate’ that helps keep out frogs, rats, etc. In my opinion the extra bonus is that it has a great looking appearance, much nicer than the original lead boot. Some homeowners have had them installed BEFORE it was a problem to improve appearance, keep varmints at bay and protect against the damage that could cause their roof to leak. If you live in a ‘squirrely neighborhood this is definitely a product worth checking out! Ask your pest control or dryer vent cleaning service about it.