Animal-Proof Your Attic

If you’ve ever had an animal in your attic, you know how annoying it can be. From scratching and scurrying during the night to high-pitched whistles and chatter, having a furry friend invade your home is a surefire way to ruin a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately, animals love dark, safe spaces to den, which is why an attic ticks all of the boxes. As bad as it is to have one intruder, the last thing you want is for an animal to bring their babies in or to give birth under your roof. Here are four ways you can reduce the risk of sharing your home with an unwanted guest of the four-legged variety. 

Trim Trees 

Don’t make it easy for an animal to get in. Large trees that are adjacent to your home should be trimmed back to ensure that a squirrel or chipmunk can’t easily get onto the roof. These animals love chewing, so any wiring or piping is at risk once they are in. Forget the noise, a destroyed electrical system is a lot more painful than a bad night’s sleep. 

Inspect the Roof

Animals can squeeze into small holes, so make sure your roof is in great shape with all the shingles intact, especially around the chimney flashing. Most animals will stay in a place with water so a leaky roof actually makes an excellent home for tiny pests like rats and mice. 

Install a Chimney Cap

Speaking of chimneys, you have no idea how many people call me because a squirrel or raccoon has become curious about what’s down that hole in the roof. A simple mesh chimney cap ensures that you can use your fireplace safely while preventing anything from being able to get inside.

Cover Vents

A good roof will have a series of vents that allow your home to “breathe” by letting air in and out to reduce the possibility of mold, mildew, and rot. However, open vents also make it easy for animals to enter. A simple vent cover will still let air in while reducing the possibility of intruders invading the attic. 

If you think you hear an animal in your attic already, it’s a good idea to know what you’re dealing with. Rats will generally gnaw at just about anything they can find and they make a unique squeaking sound. Mice will scurry and actually sound a lot louder than their size suggests. Screams or hisses will likely be from a raccoon and if you have one, you’ll know it. Squirrels are quieter but they’ll love tearing up your insulation. Possums are also common, and they really smell. Regardless of what the animal is, you don’t want to leave it alone and let it get comfortable. An exterminator will help you find the right course of action for your home, including trapping and releasing and one-way exclusion doors. Good luck!

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Protect Solar Panels from Shelter Searchers 9-30-22

Solar panels may be a step in the right direction in terms of energy efficiency, but one false move from a critter and your investment could be toast. 

While great for absorbing heat, they also create shelter, offering two incentives for animals to build nests. Birds are one thing but small creatures such as squirrels will actually chew right through the solar panel wiring as well as the roof’s shingles, causing water to get to the plywood and into the attic. A fix entails removing the solar panels and patching the roof to ensure it wouldn’t be susceptible to more leaks in the future. 

If you’re wondering how common this problem is, the answer is very. Once an animal has built a nest, it’s almost guaranteed that they are going to cause some damage unless its home is removed. 
So what’s to stop the critters from coming back? If you’ve invested in solar panels, it’s worth also protecting them from potential damage. Most solar panel companies offer a guard that works just the same as a garden fence - it protects the solar panel and underlying roof from nesting birds and animals. Nests themselves reduce the airflow underneath a solar panel, causing the area to heat up and lessen the efficiency of the system. Animals like squirrels love to chew and wiring is just plain fun to chomp right through, so you need to stop them in their tracks. 

If you’re just considering solar, don’t forget to ask your provider for an animal control solution. For those of you who have panels that aren’t protected, there are plenty of options available. To prevent unwanted guests, it’s simple to use wire mesh, but the key is to make sure there are no gaps as rodents can push themselves through tiny, seemingly impossible spaces. As with any roof work, don’t try to install a DIY solution yourself unless you are very comfortable on a ladder and have the proper safety equipment. A roofing contractor or your solar panel installer will be able to help you do the job safely. 

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

How To Prevent Pests in Your Attic

If you’ve ever had an animal in your attic, you know how annoying it can be. From scratching and scurrying during the night to high-pitched whistles and chatter, having a furry friend invade your home is a sure-fire way to ruin a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately, animals love dark, safe spaces to den, which is why an attic ticks all of the boxes. As bad as it is to have one intruder, the last thing you want is for an animal to bring their babies in or to give birth under your roof. Here are four ways you can reduce the risk of sharing your home with an unwanted guest of the four-legged variety. 

Trim Trees 

Don’t make it easy for an animal to get in. Large trees that are adjacent to your home should be trimmed back to ensure that a squirrel or chipmunk can’t easily get onto the roof. These animals love chewing, so once they are in, any wiring or piping is at risk. Forget the noise, a destroyed electrical system is a lot more painful to deal with than a bad night’s sleep. 

Inspect the Roof

Animals can squeeze into small holes, so make sure your roof is in great shape with all the shingles intact, especially around the chimney flashing. Most animals will stay in a place with water so a leaky roof actually makes a great home for tiny pests like rats and mice. 

Install a Chimney Cap

Speaking of chimneys, you have no idea how many people call me because a squirrel or raccoon has become curious about what’s down that hole in the roof. A simple mesh chimney cap ensures that you can use your fireplace safely while preventing anything from being able to get inside.

Cover Vents

A good roof will have a series of vents that allow your home to “breathe” by letting air in and out to reduce the possibility of mold, mildew, and rot. However, open vents also make it easy for animals to enter. A simple vent cover will still let air in while reducing the possibility of intruders invading the attic. 

If you think you hear an animal in your attic already, it’s a good idea to know what you’re dealing with. Rats will generally gnaw at just about anything they can find and they make a unique squeaking sound. Mice will scurry and actually sound a lot louder than their size suggests. Screams or hisses will likely be from a raccoon and if you have one, you’ll know it. Squirrels are quieter but they’ll love tearing up your insulation. Possums are also common, and they really smell. Regardless of what the animal is, you don’t want to leave it alone and let it get comfortable. An exterminator will help you find the right course of action for your home, including trapping and releasing and one-way exclusion doors. Good luck!

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.