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dimanche 7 décembre 2014

People Living In Atlanta Protect Your Home From Animals This Winter By Doing A Wildlife Inspection

By Dave L. Weglin


When temperatures outside drop, many wild animals begin searching for nooks and crannies they can use for shelter. The attics, vents, and chimneys of people's homes are some of the preferred places skunks, raccoons, squirrels and other creatures may invade. Conducting an inspection can help prevent this problem, homeowners in Atlanta protect your home from animals this winter by following these tips.

Sometimes people are unaware of these small openings in their homes until they notice an animal going in or out. Wildlife have a way of scouting out these hidden access points which would otherwise have remained subverted to those living in the home. The best way to address this situation is to inspect the residence from the foundation up to the rooftop, so these openings can be identified and repaired.

The best time of year to conduct such an inspection is fall, and it can easily be done at the same time as other cleanup tasks such as clearing debris from gutters and trimming limbs of trees. It is essential to ensure that all animals are out of any spaces in the home before sealing them up, or they can get trapped inside to die and rot.

The following items are needed for the inspection; a flashlight, binoculars, a ladder, and a camera to record all places needing repair. Beginning with the foundation, one must be sure to check spots where different types of construction materials meet, where pipes, wires, and cables enter, vents, and window wells. On the roof and siding, one should look for areas that are loose, damaged or deteriorated.

In attics, a tell-tale sign of animals are droppings and torn up nesting materials on the ground. Once it has been determined that creatures are present, one must scout out the place through which they entered, usually near an exhaust vent or where the roof meets the trim. Looking inside the chimney flue to make sure nothing is living inside is also recommended, then it can be capped off.

A small gap can be repaired using caulking, expandable foam, or copper mesh, but larger spaces will usually need to be fixed with hardware cloth or permanently restored by a professional. Wire mesh can be effective at keeping creatures such as raccoons and squirrels from re-entering, but a stronger gauge must be used against the latter.

Other steps homeowners can take to discourage creatures include placing trash in secured containers and put it out in the morning rather than the night before, and covering compost piles, making sure they do not contain meat scraps. Tree branches around the house should be trimmed so they are no less than six feet away from its exterior.




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