Attic issues

[Paddy]

It had been a while since venturing up to the attic, maybe 3 years. Since we are preparing to sell the house soon, I though it's time to clear all the stuff out of the attic. To my suprise, I have had a few visitors of the "fly squirrel" type. And I noticed a lot of mold on the under side of the decking. I found a loose vent in the soffet and re-attached. I've been using a live trap(wife made me do it!) and have caught 4 so far! Even though I catch them late evening, I load the cage in the car and drive to the end of our 700' drive and release. Our home is located in 20 ac of woods so you'd think they would have plent of places to find nice homes. Do you think 700' is far enough??

Now for the mold
With all this mold talk these days, I need to address this and fast. First I can see I need better venting at the peak. The soffets have good strip venting, 2" by length of house. But at the peak, I have just one ele box vent to one end. Yesterday, I saw condensation so no wonder I have mold! I sprayed 100% bleach in a small test area and it looks much better but, will require at least 2 treatments to look perfect. One odd obsevation was that some sheets show zero mold. Like there is some sort of treament on the osb and some sheets have better protection.

Anybody here have had to deal with "mold in the attic"? What did you do?

 

[randy41]

i dont think 700' is enough.

 

[DocHeb]

I've been using a live trap(wife made me do it!) and have caught 4 so far! ...... 700' drive and release.

You haven't caught 4, you've caught the same one four times. You had better start thinking of miles away, rather than feet.

 

[goaliedad]

As for the squirrel problem- you may want to get some help- you need to get them out, and keep them out before you can block thier entrance- you don't want them trapped in the attic. I was a segment on Dirty Jobs- they have a screen set up that allows the critter to leave, but it can't get back in. As long as there is a way in, you will have critter problems- either the same one many times, or several different. No matter which, it is an on-going problem.

 

[N80]

We had one die between the floor and ceiling. We didn't have any company over for two or three weeks.

I saw that episode of dirty jobs, I think all you need to do is make a funnel or flap out of stiff screen material and place it at the entry/exit points.

I poisoned mine. When I thought they were all gone, I plugged up the hole. Apparently there was one left. He's the one that stunk up the place.

 

[Paddy]

Maybe I should pull out the "red" spray paint so I can see if I have a repeat customer! At some point, I won't feel like taking them for their mid-night drives

They are small critters. Bit larger than a chipmunk.

Thanks all

 

[N80]

Yes, flying squirells are tiny. I've got one of those "squirell proof" bird feeders and they are so light they don't even tip the lever. And I'll admit, they're pretty cute too and I wouldn't want to kill them either. (I have no such warm feelings about the gray squirells).

 

[Paddy]

If I knew for sure where they were getting in, I'd have the problem mostly solved. Live trap appears to be very effective at catching them, (either the same one 4 times or a small family)

 

[Wil]

I think 700 ' is far enough if it is out of the wifes line of sight.

But that is just me.

 

[psuedofarmer]

Do you think 700' is far enough??

no - at least in my experience..once they establish a nest, they'll be back. i ended up taking them a mile down the road. try painting one and you'll see how territorial they are!

good luck
pf