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8 home repairs to keep wildlife outside

May 12, 2011

Have you ever heard that unique sound of squirrels scratching in your attic? Or seen that slithery snake disappearing underneath the washer in the basement? Wildlife can easily get through the tiniest hole or crack in your home's structure--and that can mean trouble for you and your pets.

Home repair: how to keep the critters out

The first step to protecting your home and yourself is making sure pesky wildlife can't get into your house in the first place. These tips can help:

1. Prevent snakes from making their home in your cozy abode by sealing any foundation cracks that are more than 1/4 inch. Keep your yard tidy, and take great care when entering crawl spaces.
2. Keep alligators at bay by installing a mesh wire fence around your property. Install a high gate around your pool and take care to keep the doors to your house closed. Most of all, don't feed them!
3. Bears can be more than a nuisance; like alligators, they can be deadly. Never put meat or food scraps in your compost bin, keep garbage tightly closed in bear-proof containers, and never feed the bears.
4. Brown recluse and black widow spiders can pack a deadly bite. They love dark places, so proper illumination in your home is key to keeping them at bay. Take further precautions by never allowing placement of furniture to create a dark corner in any room.
5. Repair exterior holes or slits, especially under the eaves of your home, to avoid inviting bats in to nest. This same home repair works well to keep squirrels out of your attic.
6. Keep scorpions out by cutting trees back from your roofline, mowing your grass short, and leaving firewood outside until right before you burn it. If you think you might have scorpions in your house, invest in a small blacklight--they glow under it.
7. Avoid mice infestation by sealing up all the cracks around plumbing, heating and cooling vents, and the like. Keep pet food in a tightly sealed container, and keep your trash cans closed as well.
8. Discard anything that can be a safe haven for bees or wasps, such as old tires. If they can get into the nooks and crannies on your porch, eaves, or deck, they can build large nests rather quickly. Watch for them, and hire an exterminator at the first sign of trouble.

Protect your home by watching out for the critters before they have a chance to set up shop. Simple home repair moves can do the trick!