THOUGHTS ON REAL ESTATE Sunday, April 10, 2011 Matters of mating and roofing . . . so far, an interesting morning.The phone hasn't stopped ringing since around 7 am. Not for people calling to about matters of real estate but for folks calling my husband's roofing company. It has been a busy year with all the rain and wind and last night the wind was a bit blustery but nothing exceptional. So, why on a Sunday morning is the phone so busy???
Critters - that's why. Animals can do an amazing amount of damage is a very short time and it seems they like to revisit favoured homes again and again.
  (Pileated Woodpecker) (Damage from woody checking for larvae of
Carpenter Bees)
First call of the day was from a client who has an ongoing woodpecker problem. Every year at this time one comes back and hacks holes in her siding, fascia and flashings. It seems he likes the noise the flashing makes especially when he's tapping to attract a mate. Problem is, he makes holes that create leaks amongst other damage. The home is in West Vancouver where Pileated Woodpeckers have made a comeback due to conservation efforts but have a need of more habitat.
Next call is also from West Vancouver in one of the upscale neighbourhoods. Rats, mice and squirrels are equal opportunity rodents that like soft, warm spaces like your attic insulation especially for nesting and having babies.
(typical rats nest)
These critters will chew through gutters, soffitts, fascia boards to get in. They can manage to eat through electrical wiring as well. They can get through the smallest of holes. Squirrels can get inside a space smaller about the size of a quarter.
What the wind can't blow off a racoon or a squirrel can tear off. These critters are amazingly strong and can rip off the better part of a shingle roof (asphalt or shake), soffits, continuous ridge ventilation, flashings, fascia - you name it. If they want in, no problem.
 (roof damage from racoons)
 (roof damage from racoons)
  (roof damage from squirrels)
Unfortunately, it may not be as easy to get rid of the problem as just repairing the damage. These critters do like to return to the scene of the crime. Make sure you close up all opportunities and don't leave out invitations to visit such as pet food, open garbage etc. If it's a problem that you can't seem to resolve, call a pest control agency. The challenge of woodpeckers is they are protected.
Categories: | agent | agents | babies | birdlife | blanket drive | Breast Cancer | Brighouse South | buyer | Buyers | buying | buying and selling | caring | cats and dogs | cleaning | community | condo | condos | contracts | court ordered sales | covenants | curb appeal | deas island park | deas island tunnel | decisions | Delta | design | developers | dining out | disappointment | dog park | Eagles | eating | eating out | family | financing | fish and chips | fishing | food | foreclosures | fraser river | getting your home ready to sell | Granville | Green | gutters | halibut | head lease | headlease | Health | hiking | history | home | home buying | home decor | home inspection | home maintenance | homes | house | Jan Rankin | Ladner | Ladner Real Estate | landholders | landlords | leasehold | listing | lynn valley | marinas | market trends | marketing | McNair | mortgage | mortgages | multiple offers | neighbourhood | neighbourhoods | neighbours | nesting | new build | north shore | offers | opinions | pests | planning | possession | preapprovals | presentation | properties | property | Public Service | Real Estate | realtor | realtors | repairs | restaurants | Richmond | Richmond Real Estate | rodents | roofing | seller | sellers | selling | Selling your home | sharing | Showing your home | showings | single family homes | sponsorship | sports | staging | Steveston | Steveston Villlage | strata | subjects | sunset | tenants | Terra Nova | the boot and sombrero | townhomes | trails | Tsawwassen | vancouver | viewings. open house | village | walking | warranty | water | weather | west vancouver | Wildlife | yards |
jrankin@sutton.com
604.329.0830
Contact Info
Sutton Group - Seafair Realty
#550 - 9100 Blundell Road
Richmond, BC
V6Y 1K3 CA
Email: jrankin@sutton.com
Phone: 604.329.0830
About Me
Prior to my career as a real estate consultant, I worked in fashion, tourism & hospitality and most recently after receiving my BSW from the University of BC, I spent more than a decade as a social worker working with families.
I have a true passion for working with people and creating relationships. I enjoy working alongside ...
Read more
Follow me on Twitter
Copyright© Jan Rankin. All rights reserved
Design by TribalYell Integrated Branding
Built on myRealPage platform