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Squirrel Alert!!

By
Home Inspector with Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC 3380-000723

Every now and then I run into squirrels in an attic.  Sometimes I have advance warning that they might be there.  This is what advance warning might look like, at least it did today:

This cute couple had made a fine home in the attic by pushing insulation into a little igloo.  They were pretty safe.  The house has been empty for some time.  They could come and go at will through the hole you see here.  They had done a lot of damage to the wood inside and outside the attic.  They can also do damage to wiring, although I did not see any.

The whole time I thought,

"THIS IS JUST NUTS...!"

Posted by

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC  

Based in Bristow, serving all of Northern Virginia.

Office (703) 330-6388   Cell (703) 585-7560

www.jaymarinspect.com


Comments(13)

Diane Osowiecki
Diane O and Friends - Benchmark Realty - Franklin, TN
Greater Nashville Real Estate

Excuse the pun.  Nice post.  We all have to look for new tenants when houses are left vacant.

Jan 14, 2010 10:30 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Jay, I have to say inspite of all the grief I give a certain certifried squirrel----bushy tailed rats do more physical damage to houses than the their hairless-tailed cousins.

Jan 14, 2010 10:39 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

They should at least pay some rent, huh Diane?

Jan 14, 2010 10:39 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

We had them in our attic a bunch of years ago, and they were real, real hard to get rid of Charlie!

Jan 14, 2010 10:42 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Jay, kind of like the one that has infested activerain:)

Jan 14, 2010 10:57 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Can just one be an infestation?

Jan 14, 2010 11:01 AM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Jan 14, 2010 11:03 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

That's a bit bigger than the one I saw peeking out today, but you got the idea!!

Jan 14, 2010 11:11 AM
Mandy Buchholz
Benchmark Realty, LLC - Murfreesboro, TN

Jay I do enjoy your posts, keep up the good work and continue to help us know what to look for.

Jan 14, 2010 12:59 PM
Jim Allhiser
Perfection Inspection, Inc. - Salem, OR
Salem, Oregon Home Inspector

I love Nutsy.

Jan 14, 2010 01:34 PM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Thanks Mandy.  Believe it or not we have a bad squirrel problem around here!

Jim - it's funny.  I post a well-researched, educational blog on what happens when stone foundations aren't taken care of, when another on problems that can be created elsewhere, and it turns out that my squirrel post is the most popular of the three!  What do you do?

I understand that right now Nutsy is avoiding the water.

Jan 14, 2010 09:00 PM
James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC - Wallingford, CT
Connecticut Home Inspector

Nutsy has been doing his best to avoid the barbecue. Squirrels are cute, but they are rats with bushy tails.

Jan 14, 2010 11:49 PM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Appears that way, doesn't it James?

Jan 15, 2010 03:04 AM