This is the time of year when kids head back to school, and ducks fly south. As we continue our work during this season, it is noticeable how quiet these northern lakes become in early September.
Unfortunately, just about the time when folks close down their summer cabins, move out, and return home, it’s the time when the pests want to move in. Bats and mice are warm-blooded creatures looking for a place to call their winter home right about now. When you check log home chinking for problems and cracks, you can fix them before critters come calling.
Both of these unwelcome “guests” can be a particularly difficult problem in log homes. Bats inhabit the underside of soffits, fascia, or gaps between the logs. On the other hand, mice are coming in low by the foundation. Both bats and mice carry diseases and can cause extensive damage if left unchecked. And let’s face it, it’s creepy having them roaming freely in your home.
So how do you keep them out? Sealing up the parameter of your home this time of year can help prevent this type of infestation.
Any gap in the soffit (bats’ favorite spot) over a 1/2″ wide needs to be filled.
Here is an interesting fact: Bats need a 3′ free fall to start flying again, so when they land, they will always be taking this into consideration. We have seen some ingenious traps that included buckets with a bit of water in them, hanging just below where the bats enter a soffit. This way, when they go into the “free fall”, they land in the water and die.
Mice can really do more noticeable damage than bats. They love to get into bedding, boxed food, and paper products. The key to keeping mice out is sealing up the outside logs with chinking, foam, or caulking, and making all the things they want to eat inaccessible.
The bottom line is that the problems these pests cause can range from an annoyance to major issues. Carefully checking your logs for leaks and cracks, and check log home chinking, can prevent these pests from getting in.
