Squirrels are normally active at daytime and they are predisposed to omnivorous tendencies. These pests feed on several things, but most commonly they will choose to feed on seeds, nuts, eggs, and even insects. Regardless of their preference for natural food, they also have a taste for foods prepared by humans and so they will from time to time, invade homes to comb for food. They normally do this to hoard food for the colder autumn months and harsh winter when food is much harder to find.
If your home is invaded by squirrels every year, then you might have noticed that their presence and numbers become something of a concern at certain times. These pests breed twice a year. They breed once between December and February, and a second time between the months of March and May. Their gestation lasts for seven weeks and they litter twice a year with the young ones averaging one to eight in number.
Threats Posed By The Grey Squirrel And Some Conventional Ways Of Controlling Them
The grey squirrel is one of the most formidable species of pests in the UK. These pests not only pose serious threats to woodlands but also to human settlements. In the forest, they are notorious for removing barks from trees, and competing with native species, while in towns and settlements, they are known to cause considerable damage, and it is not unusual to find them chewing electric cables and gnawing through lofts. When they invade a home, these pests will certainly chew through external installations such as fascia board or squeeze their way under roof tiles. Once they break in, they will shelter and even create nests.
There are quite a number of ways of controlling grey squirrels. Traditionally, home owners would either use poison or lay traps for squirrels in strategic places. You should select the most appropriate kind of poison for these pests. Also, note that if you lay traps, then you are required by law to check them a few times a day. Sometimes, you will be required to contact the pest control agency that laid the trap. Alternatively, you can also bait them using poison that is placed in the entry points near the loft or roof spaces. Once the treatment has been effected with considerable results, you should carry out repairs and block the access points.
Using Appropriate Roofline Materials To Deal With Squirrel Invasion
The above traditional ways of dealing with the perennial menace of squirrels, that is to say baiting and trapping, do not offer lasting solutions to yearly invasions. This means your home will remain susceptible to future attacks unless you install the right protective roofing materials and layers. You will come to realize that the use of boards to protect areas such as joists and rafters becomes desirable when dealing with elements and pests. Besides which, this undertaking is a crucial part of architecture.
You should note that a wooden soffit board is prone to decay. In addition, they wear with time from exposure to harsh weather and this weakens the foundation of your roofing. Such damage may also open up the loft areas and make them accessible to pests. Therefore, you will be compelled to make replacements from time to time when they get damaged. Unfortunately, people often use timber because they seem attractive, but this comes with pitfalls as indicated above and this is why you should not use wood for cladding. On the other hand, a plastic fascia is a tougher protective material, being far less susceptible to decay and damage. Additionally, it will offer the best protection from more tenacious and intelligent pests such as the grey squirrel.
If you want to undertake a cladding project, you should avoid using timber or wood. It is always important to ensure you include the protective layers and barriers. To reduce the amount of work, make sure that you use uPVC cladding material. This unplasticised material is made of a calcium organic PVC compound which provides protection against environmental hazards. The good thing with this material is that it does not require much in the way of long term care and maintenance, and it does not rot or wear out like wood which becomes prone to invasion by pests. Where wood might in fact exacerbate the problem, in other words, PVC cladding is only beneficial.
Chris Coxon writes articles for Deeplas, who provide and sell a wide range of uPVC cladding, fascia boards, decking and much more externally for homes. By replacing an older soffit board with both a new uPVC soffit and a plastic fascia board from Deeplas, insulation will be increased.
No comments:
Post a Comment