With the cold weather of winter setting in, humans aren’t the only creatures seeking to keep warm. All sorts of critters from mice to raccoons, opossums to foxes are looking for shelter and places to stay warm. Often times, their search for shelter can bring them into our homes where they enjoy dwelling in places such as attics, basements, crawlspaces, walls, garages, sheds, workshops, and other similar areas.
Sealing against the encroachment of these pests is just as important as sealing to protect our homes from unwanted air transmission, moisture, and mold. To discuss the importance of animal exclusion and how caulks and sealants like our EvoSeal MS and Full Fill General Purpose foam sealant play an important role in the process, we sat down with Jacob Barnes of Dayton, Ohio, owner of Barnes Wildlife Control.
In business for 7 years, Barnes Wildlife Control provides animal pest control, exclusion, and removal services to the greater Dayton, Ohio area. While specializing in bat removal services, they’ve handled a wide array of critter and insect issues including literal bats in the belfry (having removed large bat colonies from church bell towers) to the removal of window-trapped raccoons in the wee hours of the night, and nearly everything in between.
Most people think animal removal and exclusion services are only necessary when the weather turns cold, but that is not the case:
“DIFFERENT ANIMAL PESTS HAVE DIFFERENT BREEDING SEASONS AND HABITATS; HOMEOWNERS EXPERIENCE YEAR ROUND PEST PROBLEMS.
IN THE LATE SUMMER AND EARLY FALL, WE SEE HUNDREDS OF BAT CASES, AND BY EARLY WINTER OUR WORK HAS TRANSITIONED OVER TO KEEPING RODENTS SUCH AS MICE OUT OF HOMES.
ROUGHLY 90% OF OUR WORK IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER IS GETTING RODENT PROBLEMS RESOLVED FOR HOMEOWNERS.”
– Jacob Barnes
Homeowners should make an ‘animal exclusion’ checklist as they prepare their homes for seasonal changes. Exclusion techniques may include sealing entry points, placing screens over vents and other openings, or establishing other barriers to intrusion from wildlife.
Due to the range of animal natures, habits, and levels of intelligence, some preventative measures may be more effective than others. Improperly implemented techniques can do more harm than good by creating easily avoidable situations the animal can adapt their behavior to circumvent. As such, it is always best to consult a wildlife control specialist like Barnes Wildlife Control when seeking to properly implement animal intrusion prevention techniques.
In the event an unwanted animal guest finds their way into your home or other property structure, Jacob recommends quick action. “You never want to procrastinate when it comes to animals living in your attic, or any other space.The longer animals are living in your home, the higher the risk for zoonotic disease transfer (diseases that are spread from animals to human beings; typically caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites, or fungi and includes such diseases as Bird Flu, Ebola, Hepatitis E, Lyme Disease, and more).”
In addition to an increased risk of disease transference, Barnes also stresses that the unchecked presence of animals in your home can lead to substantial damages. Early detection and removal can limit removal and repair costs, but if left unresolved and allowed to grow over time, the cost can reach over $10,000.
“But even the best wildlife exclusion techniques, performed by the best and most experienced teams rely on quality products,” Jacob added. “If the materials we use fail to keep varmints out of your home, then the animal eviction fails as well.”
This is especially true for caulks and sealants that are commonly used to seal up small gaps that rodents and other insects and animals can squeeze their way into. Any sealant has to meet a long list of requirements in order to do the job properly, Jacob explained.
The Barnes Wildlife Control team makes use of EvoSeal MS‘s cold-weather application to seal against the unwanted intrusion of animal pests, even in less than ideal conditions.
A sealant needs to have great adhesion. If not, then an animal can gnaw, scratch, and pull the bead away from the joint or seam and gain entry. It also needs to be compatible with a wide array of substrates, as homes and their spaces (like attics and basements) and other structures on a homeowner’s property (like sheds or workshops) can include a host of different materials in their construction. Flexibility is also important. If the product isn’t flexible enough, then it won’t be able to ‘move’ with the structure as it expands and contracts due to seasonal temperature and humidity changes. This can result in the sealant tearing or peeling away from the substrate. A sealant’s ability to stand up to the elements is essential, since many applications wildlife control specialists, like Barnes’ team, face are external.
Wildlife control is a subject many homeowner’s don’t think about (until they get an opossum in their attic), but one that is instrumental to ensuring preservation of property and personal safety. As a manufacturer of caulks, sealants, and firestopping products, we’re proud to offer quality, performance focused solutions like our EvoSeal MS and Full Fill foam that help wildlife control companies, like Barnes Wildlife Control, protect people, property, and wildlife.
The Barnes Wildlife Control team has a combined 100 years of animal removal experience and the entire crew is certified and knowledgeable on animal damage repairs and how to keep them from combing back. They offer many services including: Wildlife removal, insect pest control, dead animal and deer carcass removal, habitat modification and tree trimming, animal damage repair, attic restoration and insulation services, and more.
Contact them today to get your home animal-proofed, and for any animal removal services.
