Is Your Crawl Space Healthy?

Did you know that the air that you breathe is directly linked to your crawl space?  In fact, about 40% of the air in your home rises from the crawl space.  With this fact alone, it is easy to see why a healthy crawl space is important.  Unfortunately, the crawl space is a pretty neglected place and most people have never even seen it or had it inspected.  This can mean that a lot of harmful activity can be going on without you even knowing it.

If you want to have someone check out your crawl space, be sure to check out our brand new website at:  http://www.newleafcrawlspace.com/.  We are offering free crawl space inspections with digital photo's.  If we do find something that is in need of attention, we have the expertise to fix it!  We specialize in complete crawl space restoration and custom drainage solutions.  Regardless of what issue you face, be sure to give us a call!  We can make your crawl space healthy again.

We are located in Vancouver, Washington and serve all of the SW Washington and Portland Metro area and offer same day or next day service.

Get Your Home Ready To Avoid Fall/Winter Pests!

Maybe your summer was like mine and went by way too quickly.  It is still warm out here in the Portland, Oregon area, but within about a week or so, things will start to cool.  As we all pack up our things and go inside to avoid the coming cold, some pests are looking to do the same thing and it is important that you prepare your home to keep them out.  Here are some common pests that you will see more of in the winter and ways to avoid them.

Spiders

I think that this might be the worse year for spiders that I can remember.  I have had more phone calls for spiders this month then I had all of last year!  Much of this has to do with the mild winter that we had last year.  The spider population managed to gut it out and survive far better then in past years and now we are feeling the effects of it.

There are a few things that you can do to keep spiders out of your home.  First, if you have shrubs close to your home that are touching the structure, you should trim them back.  First, this gives shelter to all kinds of insects and where insects are, spiders will follow to get a free meal.  Also, think about winterizing your home by installing weather stripping and door sweeps.  This will not only keep the cold out, but also the spiders.

Rodents

Rats and mice are by far the most troublesome winter pest.  They do a good job of getting access to your crawl space and nest in your nice, warm insulation without you even knowing about it.  The problem is that this can create a contaminated crawl space and may require you to consider doing a costly crawl space restoration if it gets out of hand.

There are some simple preventative measures that you can take that will go a really long way.  First, do a quick walk around your home and check the foundation vent screens.  Are they all intact?  Are there any gaps where rodents can get in?  I cannot tell you how much money you could save just by plugging up holes in your vent screens.  Many times, your cable guy will come in and punch out a screen to run a wire and just leave a gaping hole for rodents to enter.  You can repair these using screen mesh and some screws (this is better aesthetically if you do this from inside the crawl space, not outside).  But, if you want to go the easy route, you can just put one of those foam inserts that are designed to insulate your vent screens during the winter.

Lastly, you can look for burrowing holes.  As a rule of thumb, look for golf ball size holes (mice) and tennis ball size holes (rats).  If you do see burrow holes, I would caution you from covering them up.  This might cause the rodents to be trapped and die under your home.  My recommendation is going to be self serving, but I recommend you call New Leaf Pest Control to take care of the problem first and then cover the holes.

If you do these simple steps, you can go a long way in eliminating pest problems during the fall and winter.  If you need some help or just have a few questions, we would be pleased to take your call!

Will Insurance Cover Raccoon Damage To My Crawl Space?

Maybe you have seen the Allstate commercial where "Mayhem" is a raccoon living in an attic.  Like any good raccoon, he is having the time of his life playing in insulation, chewing on wires and having babies.  Although many people found this commercial humorous, if you have recently had a raccoon in your attic or crawlspace, you are not laughing.

A raccoon can do an enormous amount of damage in very little time.  They generally will start to pull subfloor insulation down to nest in, detach air ducts and possibly chew on wires.  On top of all the damage that they can cause, they leave behind an extremely contaminated space in their wake, so if you think you might have a raccoon (or any other wildlife for that matter) living under your home, it is time to do something about it.

Luckily, many of you have this on your insurance policy right now.  A typical crawl space restoration bid can be anywhere from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars depending on the extent of the damage.  There have been many times that we have come to a customers home and found damage and suggested that the customer call their insurance agent before we start the work.  Many times we have found that the restoration was completely covered and the customer did not even realize it!

Steps to take if you have wildlife living under your home:

1) Call a Pest Control Company:  You need to first get rid of the wildlife in a safe manner.  This can be especially challenging if it is a mother with babies.  A pest control company can professionally trap and remove the animal/s and help you seal entry points (typically they get in from open vent screens in the foundation).  If there is damage in the crawl space, most pest control companies do this kind of work and will give you a bid.

2) Call your insurance agent:  Do not let the pest control company start until you have discussed the matter with your insurance agent.  They may need you to take pictures and allow an insurance adjustor to make sure that the price quoted by the pest control company is within their guidelines.  Unfortunately, there are companies out there that will bid crawl space restorations at outrageous prices, but your insurance company will alert you if this is the case.

3) Get the work done:  Make sure that the pest control company both cleans and disinfects the area.  There can be a lot of contamination left behind when dealing with wildlife.  Also, ask them if a flea treatment is necessary.  Raccoons and other wildlife are loaded with fleas and if they have been living under your home, you might have a problem with them as well.

If you are unsure if you have a wildlife problem and just have a few questions, please give us a call.  If you live in the area and need a Portland Metro Pest Control Company, we would love to hear from you!

Photo credit: Tambako the Jaguar / Foter / CC BY-ND

What Is A Crawl Space Restoration And Do I Really Need One?

A crawl space is a place of the home that most home owners have no interest in visiting.  It is dark, musty and just a little bit creepy.  It may not seem like the most inviting place to you, but to rodents, raccoon's and other wildlife, it is just perfect.  It provides these animals with warmth, shelter and safety.  You'd think that they would at least keep their new home tidy, but they totally trash the place!  In times like these, many pest control companies are going to recommend getting a crawl space restoration.

A crawl space restoration is just what it sounds like.  A contractor is going to have a crew pull everything out (insulation, vapor barrier, all the debris, etc).  Once all the contaminated parts have been removed, they will start the process of decontamination and then put fresh materials in to replace everything.  This maybe sounds simple because I summarized the whole process in just a couple sentences, but it is a grueling job that is extremely labor intensive, dirty and just plain gross!  A job like this can cost anywhere from several hundred dollars to a couple thousands of dollars.

Since it is so expensive, it is amazing to me that many home owners do not get multiple bids.  Usually the need for a crawl space restoration arises when a pest control company comes out and does an inspection of the crawl space for rodents or any other pests.  They find the problem, give a quote and over half of those customers that go with the work never even get a second opinion!

Is it needed?
That is the problem.  There are some companies that say that EVERY home that has any trace of rodents or any other animal, needs a crawl space restoration.  Although this is very convenient for their business model, I do not agree that it is necessary and I think that deep down, they don't actually believe that either.  My opinion is that a crawl space needs to have prolonged contamination covering at least 25% of the area before considering doing a restoration.

Are there any alternatives?
If your crawl space has only partial contamination, only a partial restoration is needed.  This is where you can save big money from getting a second opinion.  If you call a reputable company, they may say that you don't even need a restoration at all or you may only need a few areas cleaned up.  For example, maybe you only have contamination on the vapor barrier or in some of the insulation.  Don't let companies swing for the fences and replace everything just to get more money out of you.

Who do I recommend?
In my bias opinion, I recommend calling New Leaf Pest Control in Portland, Oregon.  Now, full disclosure, I work for this company, but I also believe they are the best in the area by far.  I also recommend Healthy Homes Pest Control in Seattle, Washington.  If you have had a bid and need to get a second opinion, I would recommend calling either of these companies because they are straight shooters and will give you a fair, honest assessment.  If you have any questions or if you have been recently swindled by a company bidding a restoration, I would love to hear from you.  Please email me or comment below.