Home Intruders

They start long before anyone notices them; it may be weeks or months before a scratch or low hum of their work is heard. By this time, they’ve probably sawed through 2x4s in the walls and moved wires, insulation, and anything else that prevents them from moving further and further into the home. If one can get in, many can, and structural damage is their specialty. Who are these home intruders? Pests.

Insects including bees, wasps, and hornets, and rodents like squirrels and mice—any common pest—can and will find their way into the homes you’re building. They chew through wires and untreated wood, and they rearrange insulation and vapor barriers, leaving a path of destruction and mounting costs behind.

The problem starts before the first bee or squirrel gets into the home, and can be prevented. Holes in the exterior of the home need only be an inch in diameter for large rodents like flying squirrels to enter. Imagine the number of bees that can squeeze into much smaller openings! And if insects and rodents are getting into the home, air will too. Air moving through the walls or between ceilings and floors can create extremely cold and uncomfortable areas in the room.

One homeowner, Bill Rittelmann, experienced the worst of the air and of the pests. Cold floors that made his wife and two young daughters chilly in the cold Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania weather soon became the first and least of his problems. Insects such as bees and hornets found their way into the walls of Bill’s home, chewing through wood and creating nests. After using a spray to kill the bees, Bill noticed an unpleasant smell coming from his fireplace—caused by dead, decomposing bees. Gross? You bet, but these are minor problems compared to what happened later…

A loud scratching woke Bill and his family. They couldn’t tell exactly where it was coming from but knew it was in the ceiling. At this point the culprit was unknown: could it be mice or gray squirrels? As it turns out, Bill’s soffit had just the right conditions for flying squirrel habitation. According to Bill, an engineer who happens to specialize in building performance problems research, “Holes that are high off the ground and soffits aren’t safe from these pests. They’ll find a way to get in.” The flying squirrels caused a considerable amount of damage, including destroying the vapor barrier to make their nest a little more cozy and chewing the sheathing behind the brick and through phone wire.

While this is an extreme case of bad luck and unsealed holes, pest and air intrusion is a common customer complaint. To minimize the chance of this happening, thorough airsealing efforts can keep walls and soffits free of pests and customer complaints. It’s no secret that having a competitive advantage in your market can lead to additional sales and an enhanced reputation. Going beyond the customer’s expectations by ensuring a tightly sealed home can be the advantage you’ve been looking for.

The tricky thing about airsealing is that in order for it to be effective, you have to pay attention to details and think outside of what the construction details are showing. Holes allowing pests and unwanted drafts can be in places you wouldn’t normally check, like utility penetrations and small gaps where a floor or roof overhang meets the exterior wall. A space created by a small overhang probably won’t show up on a construction detail, so you have to be on the lookout for a gap that it may have created.

Don’t forget to check the area around the bathtub for gaps. An air barrier should be installed along the inside surface of any exterior wall studs before the tub/shower is installed, and the hole around the drain should be foamed shut. Caulking is one form of airsealing good for keeping insects outside.

Kitchen bulkheads are another area to pay close attention to. If left open, this area is a hot spot for pests and air activity, allowing them both to move through the house. To solve the bulkhead problem, provide an air barrier along the inside surface of the wall studs and ceiling joists before the bulkhead framing is put up.

Don’t let what happened to Bill and his family happen to your customers. Building comfortable and pest-free homes through airsealing efforts can reduce warranty expenses and build your reputation. In the end, this translates to boosting your bottom line, and generating more sales through referrals. Your customers will thank you!