Got pests? We’ve got solutions. We’ll show you how to keep three household pests out - mice, flies, and woodpeckers.
The Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act means against the law to harm woodpeckers. But you also don’t want them on your house - they make holes in your shingles to access food or loudly announce their territory.
Unfortunately, there’s no simple way to get rid of them. Your best option is to harass them into leaving.
First, save your house! Fasten sheet metal over the areas the birds are pecking. For a temporary seal, you can use a spray of Foam it Green. Second, hang mirrors or Mylar tape nearby, for example, from the fascia (or tuck it under the next row of shingles). The shiny reflections harass the birds away.
Flies:
Cluster flies (aka attic flies) are attracted to light and warmth. Often find them around second-floor windows, which are usually the warmest spots in the house. These pests breed outside in the ground during late spring and early summer and have a life span of 27 to 39 days. In the fall, they find a way indoors through small cracks around doors, windows, soffits and siding.
The best time to stop cluster flies is before they come indoors. Use Foam it Green to seal cracks around the foundation, siding, exterior trim and other potential entry points. Replace weather stripping as necessary to seal around doors and windows. And, for tough cases, spray a fly insecticide around the outside of your doors and windows, soffits, eaves and any cracks in the siding.
Mice:
Mice are one of the more common problem animals to find in a home. It’s not because you don’t keep a clean house – you just have food and shelter and unless your home is sealed up, they will find a way to get to it.
Find the holes on the exterior of your home and seal them and the foundation (rim joist) with Foam it Green. Check around air conditioning and electrical wiring leading into the home for additional penetrations. Since mice are good climbers, when trees overhang the roof, prepare to keep them out of your attic by laying down mesh in the soffit vents.
Once inside, mice do a lot of damage in a short amount of time. Furniture, walls, and floors are gnawed as the mice make holes throughout your home. They nest in fiberglass insulation, leaving behind their excrement that can cause allergies, asthma, and disease. Chewing sounds and squeaking late at night can drive you mad.
But perhaps the worst damage mice can do is chew on your home’s electrical wiring because the Romex coating tastes like candy to them. Once a mouse starts chewing on your wiring, you’ve got a major fire hazard on your hands.
Got a different pest that you need to guard against? Give us a call toll free at 800-516-0949 and we’d be happy to help you build the barrier.
