Crawl Space Restoration

IS HIDDEN DAMAGE COSTING YOU MONEY?

The clues are always there. An odd noise. An unfamiliar odor. The change in a room's temperature. Something has moved in. It could be living under your feet, or over your head. it lurks in the shadows – it might even be watching you right now.

An uninvited guest in your attic or crawl space can create a "crime scene" or significant damage to your home and cost thousands in higher utility bills and repairs - and those guests can eventually find their way into your home. No matter what family your guest belongs to, Day Energy Solutions is ready to investigate your “crime scene” and eradicate your unwanted guest.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

It's getting more common to find that an animal has gotten into your crawl space and has damaged your ducting, insulation and vapor barrier. Depending on the extent of the damage, you may experience:

• Increased energy bills from displaced insulation and damaged ducting
• Unpleasant odors
• Portions of your home being uncomfortable due to loss of airflow from duct damage
• If water line insulation is damaged, water lines may freeze when temperatures dip low

POSSIBLE SUSPECTS

• SKUNK - not typically aggressive at seeking entrance, skunks will enter the crawl space through broken screens or missing crawl access covers. You’ll be able to identify them (most of the time) by their odor.

 

• POSSUM - more aggressive at seeking entrance, possums will enter the crawl through any opening that gives them opportunity. First signs will be the smell of urine, cold rooms (from damaged or destroyed ducting), or eyes looking at you through the floor register.

 

• MOUSE - very aggressive at seeking entrance. You’ll find mice in both the crawl space and the attic, so it’s not just lower openings that you need to monitor and protect. Mice can (and will) scale just about any surface and jump long distances to seek shelter. Damage is usually centered around ducting and insulation, but will also extend into the home if left unchecked.

 

• CAT - not typically aggressive at seeking entrance. Cats seem to gravitate toward destroying flex ducting, so one of the earliest signs is a change in the air distribution within your home.

 

• RACCOON - fairly aggressive at seeking entrance (especially when getting ready to birth young). The focus of raccoon damage is both flex duct and insulation - they use these materials to create a home within your home. Normally found in the crawl space, but can also be in the attic.

 

• SQUIRREL - while deceptively cute outside your home, if these animals gain entrance they will do more damage than any of the other suspects. They can chew through PVC drain lines, electrical lines, wood, flex duct, thermostat lines, and wreak havoc on insulation. And they’re not casual about getting into your home - there are instances where squirrels have literally chewed through the outer home surface to gain access to the attic. Repairing squirrel damage can reach into the thousands of dollars.

ONCE YOU DISCOVER YOU'VE GOT A GUEST, THERE'S A SERIES OF STEPS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN:

1. Evict the Intruder
2. Secure the space to make sure intruders can’t return
3. Document the damage (for possible insurance claim)
4. Arrange repairs with the different trades affected

Contact Day Energy Solutions Today