Living in an area of the country where winter is really winter usually means dealing with snow removal on your roof. There are benefits and liabilities when considering this chore.

Up to a point, snow on your roof is a good thing. It does provide some insulation. If you notice snow on your roof when your neighbors don’t have any, it could mean your home is well insulated. But if the snow on your roof melts long before your neighbors’, you should check your roof to see whether you’re losing heat through it.

There are some other very important factors to consider about snow on your roof. One is snow load. This is more than just the depth of the snow on your roof. It also is the density of that snow. If the snow load is too much, you could get a damaged roof.

Any ice buildup on your roof can become a significant problem. Ice is much heavier than snow, so having a lot of ice on your roof increases the load it has to carry. When snow melts from your roof, the water travels to the lowest point. This melted snow can then re-freeze as ice and lead to an ice dam. If this process continues, ice can build up on your roof, leading to roof damage and even damage inside your home.

Another consideration regarding snow on your roof is the kind of roof you have. A metal roof will shed snow faster. Shingled roofs tend to hold the snow longer.

The pitch of your roof is another factor to keep in mind. If you have a steeper pitched roof, you’ll have less trouble with snow on your roof. But flatter roofs can hold snow longer, potentially leading to trouble with ice buildup.

If you have rain falling on the snow on your roof and not running off, the potential for damage increases. The rain will just add to the total snow load your roof is carrying.

The age of your home can make a difference in the potential trouble with snow on your roof. Older homes may have more deterioration of the roof and possibly more leaks that allow indoor heat to melt some of the snow.

Newer homes typically have less trouble with snow on your roof. They’re built better, with better materials, and more advanced building techniques. All this means better ability to handle snow on your roof.

If you have some issues with snow on your roof, Heath’s Wildlife Service provides 24 hour emergency and long-term solutions for your home or business with a focus on customer service, mutual trust, and ongoing support and information. Chris Heath will give you a no-obligation, free estimate for removing snow from your roof. Call 855-422-0434 or 603-664-0513. 

Not all birds migrate south for the winter. There are several types of backyard winter birds that need help in making it through the cold part of the year. You can help these non-migrating birds by doing a few simple things.

In winter, the accumulating ice and snow can bury food sources. This comes at a time when backyard winter birds need more calories to stay warm. At the same time, water sources are frozen and inaccessible. Cold birds are slower, making them more vulnerable to predators. The leaves are no longer there to provide cover and shelter.

Backyard winter birds depend on food sources you put out for them to make it through the winter months. High calorie foods like nuts, suet, and peanut butter are great for attracting these birds to your back yard.

Water is also necessary for their survival. Frozen water requires the birds to expend extra calories to melt, just as eating snow for water does. So, a heated source of water will bring in lots of birds through the winter.

Shelter is also a requirement for these backyard winter birds. Evergreen trees are great for this purpose, as are hollow trees. But if these shelters aren’t available, brush piles or year-round bird houses would be great.

When you consider feeding your backyard winter birds, be sure to put out sufficient food. They’ll likely eat more in the colder weather so they can stay warm. If you have a specific store nearby that caters to birders and bird feeders, consult the them about the kinds of foods to put out in the winter.

Foods that are high in calories are the best. Peanut butter and suet are great for this purpose. Mixed seeds consisting of black oil sunflower seeds, white millet seeds, niger seeds, and hulled peanuts are available at most stores that carry any kind of bird seed.

Make sure you keep your feeders full. Birds will eat a lot to help them stay warm through long winter nights. Stay consistent with your feeding. Birds will become dependent on your food, so if you plan to take an extended trip, enlist someone to keep your feeders full for your backyard winter birds.

Remember, some of the birds that stay in the winter are ground-feeders. They will eat the seed that falls from the feeders and the seed you purposely put down for them. Keep the snow stamped down around the feeders so these birds can easily access their food.

If you have some pest issues, Heath’s Wildlife Service provides 24 hour emergency and long-term nuisance wildlife solutions for your home or business with a focus on customer service, mutual trust, and ongoing support and information. Chris Heath will give you a no-obligation, free estimate for removing pests from your home. If he doesn’t remove the pests you have, he can direct you to someone who can. Call 855-422-0434 or 603-664-0513. 

With the coming of cooler weather, some common fall pest problems begin making themselves known. All kinds of critters are beginning to get ready for cold weather and look at your home as an attractive place to set up housekeeping.

One of the common fall pest problems is ants. Carpenter ants typically are most active in the warmer months of spring and summer. But if they’ve set up a nest in or near your home, they can begin to look for food sources indoors, inside your home. They also can tunnel through the wood of your home to make their pathways in their search for food. This can damage the structure of your home.

Another of the common fall pest problems is mice and rats looking for a warm and dry place to spend the winter. Once they have gotten inside your home, these rodents can quickly cause an infestation, bringing on various potential health problems for those who live there. Mice have to gnaw on things all the time. Some of those things they will gnaw on in your home include wiring, insulation, and even the structure of your home. If they gain access to your food supplies, they can spread a lot of germs through the droppings they leave behind.

Yet another of the common fall pest problems is roaches. These nasty critters can live through the summer in the trees surrounding your home, dining on dead insects, birds, and small animals. Then, when the temperature starts falling, they will look for a place to spend the summer indoors. In your indoors. They scurry through your home, rubbing their nasty bodies on every surface they touch. Bacteria can be easily spread by these critters.

Spiders become common fall pest problems every year. Black widows and brown recluse spiders are very difficult problems in the fall. They are also very poisonous and can harm you and your children. Spiders tend to lay a great many eggs when they start, quickly leading to a large infestation in your home.

Wasps are another of the common fall pest problems. This is the time of year they’re building up their nests and are searching for food sources. Wasp stings are very painful and can be dangerous if you’re allergic to them. They don’t sting only once like bees do, and they tend to swarm when stirred up.

Heath’s Wildlife Service provides 24 hour emergency and long-term nuisance wildlife solutions for your home or business with a focus on customer service, mutual trust, and ongoing support and information. Chris Heath will give you a no-obligation, free estimate for removing pests from your home. If he doesn’t remove the pests you have, he can direct you to someone who can. Call 855-422-0434 or 603-664-0513. 

Summer means lots of things: Baseball games, sweating, summer storms, and bugs. There are several kinds of bugs to watch out for during the summer. They bite, sting, and carry diseases. Knowing them will help you stay away from them.

Black widow spiders are one of the types of bugs to watch out for. Technically not a bug, they are dangerous. Black with red hourglass markings on the belly, these spiders have venom that is 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake’s. They typically live for one to three years in the wild and usually live alone.

Tarantula spiders are another of the types of bugs to watch out for. Again, technically not a bug, but also can be dangerous. Usually, tarantulas are wary of humans, but can bite if provoked. Their venom isn’t as dangerous as black widows’ but can be painful and can cause rashes at the bite area. They can live for up to 30 years and grow to the size of personal pizzas.

Africanized bees are yet another of the bugs to watch out for. Stay away from these bees if you see a swarm or a hive. They do not routinely attack humans, but may if they think the hive is in danger. Multiple stings from Africanized bees have been known to cause death.

Mosquitos are another of the bugs to watch out for. This particular bug is hard to avoid in most places in the U.S. They can multiply in any standing water. They are carriers of multiple diseases and cause more deaths around the world due to these diseases than any other factor. Some of the diseases borne by mosquitos are somewhat rare in the U.S., but others seem to gaining ground. West Nile virus incidents seem to be increasing in the U.S. because of mosquitos.

Red Fire Ants are another of the bugs to watch out for. They were brought accidentally to the U.S., but appear to be spreading quickly. They sting when provoked and do so in multiple numbers. The stings are very uncomfortable.

Ticks are yet another of the bugs to watch out for. They are found in many places in the U.S. where bushes and high grasses are found. Walking through these areas and brushing against the plants will transfer ticks to you. Lyme disease is possibly the most dangerous disease carried by ticks.

Heath’s Wildlife Service provides 24 hour emergency and long-term nuisance wildlife solutions for your home or business with a focus on customer service, mutual trust, and ongoing support and information. Chris Heath will give you a no-obligation, free estimate for removing pests from your home. If he doesn’t remove the pests you have, he can direct you to someone who can. Call 855-422-0434 or 603-664-0513. 

Summertime, and the pests are out. That makes some summer pest control tips valuable. Here are a few.

The first of the summer pest control tips deals with mosquitos. To begin, mosquitos need water in which to lay their eggs and hatch the next generation of these pests. Be sure to get rid of all standing water around your home. This means dumping out any containers that have water in them when you’re finished using them. Check toys around the yard and dump out any standing water in any of them. Make sure water doesn’t stand in your gutters; clean them out periodically.

Another of the summer pest control tips deals with ticks. Those small, blood-sucking critters can become more than a nuisance to your family. With the possibility of tick-borne diseases, you need to do everything you can to rid your property of these pests. Mow your grass regularly. Ticks love to hand around high grass and weeds. Any piles of leaves or dead grass can also be home for ticks. If you think there are ticks around your property, use a repellant to keep them off. If you’re out in the woods hiking or bird-watching or some other activity, be sure to check yourself carefully for ticks you may pick up when you get home.

The third of the summer pest control tips has to do with pests getting inside your home. Be sure screens on your windows are intact and don’t have openings for pests to access your house. Wipe up spills and crumbs promptly so there’s no food source. Any food left out of the refrigerator should be kept in closed containers with tightly-fitting lids. Your trash should also have a close-fitting lid.

A few other summer pest control tips include making sure all drains are clean and working properly so water won’t collect. Be sure to fix any leaks and outdoor faucets. Check birdbaths and change the water frequently.

Heath’s Wildlife Service provides 24 hour emergency and long-term nuisance wildlife solutions for your home or business with a focus on customer service, mutual trust, and ongoing support and information. Chris Heath will give you a no-obligation, free estimate for removing pests from your home. If he doesn’t remove the pests you have, he can direct you to someone who can. Call 855-422-0434 or 603-664-0513. 

It’s summertime, and snakes could be anywhere. People are more likely to run into snakes during this time of the year, because they’re outside more. And, of course, snakes are out more, also.

Most of us have grown up hearing sayings about snakes that have been passed on from generation to generation. Many of these sayings are snake myths. Of course, everyone swears they’re true, but in reality they aren’t.

Here are a few of them.

Snakes Chase People.  Snakes actually are more interested in getting away from you when you happen upon them in the wild. Just like people, snakes can get surprised or awakened suddenly by someone walking close to them. When this happens, the snake will look for the fastest way to get out of there. This may be toward you. Thus, the myth that snakes chase people is reinforced.

Like most snake myths, this one is partially true. The Central American bushmaster will aggressively chase people. Fortunately, this snake is located in Panama and some other Central American countries.

Snakes Are Blind In The Hottest Part Of The Summer. This is one of the snake myths that has persisted, but is not true. Possibly the myth got its start with snakes that are either getting ready to shed their skin or are in the process of doing so. At this time, the protective scales that protect their eyes may get loose prior to shedding and interfere with their vision. The snake’s eyes may look bluish-gray in color.

Mother Snakes Must Be Avoided. There’s no need to be concerned about mother snakes because there is only one type of snake that shows mothering behavior. The African Rock Python appears to show mothering behavior when she curls around her clutch of eggs to protect them. She will protect them aggressively until they hatch.

Almost all other snakes abandon their eggs as soon as they’re laid. If they bear live babies, the young snakes go off on their own almost immediately. The babies are well able to take care of themselves from birth. This is another of the snake myths that simply isn’t true.

Mother Snakes Protect Their Young In Their Mouths. Even though this is one of the snake myths that is believed by so many people, it simply isn’t true. The myth typically goes like this: If the young snakes are threatened, mother opens her mouth and the young rush into her mouth for protection. Interestingly, this is only reported with live-bearing snakes.

In fact, this was likely started when someone came upon a mother snake eating her young who were either still-born or unable to survive. Bearing young snakes live is very hard physically on the mother. She needs all the nourishment she can get. The young snakes who do not survive are looked at as a food source.

Whether mythical or actual, if you have snakes in or around your house, you want the best professional to get rid of them for you. Heath’s Wildlife Service provides 24 hour emergency and long-term nuisance wildlife solutions for your home or business with a focus on customer service, mutual trust, and ongoing support and information. Chris Heath will give you a no-obligation, free estimate for removing pests from your home. If he doesn’t remove the pests you have, he can direct you to someone who can. Call 855-422-0434 or 603-664-0513. 

It’s springtime, and the animals are emerging from winter, looking for food and shelter. If you make your home unattractive for pests, you won’t have the issues that so many others do. Of course, we’re not talking about letting your home get run down or not looking good for other humans. We’re talking about doing what’s needed to not give pests a reason for hanging around.

Standing water. One way to make your home unattractive for pests is to get rid of any standing water. It doesn’t take much still water to become a breeding ground for mosquitos. And no one likes to be outside in a yard full of these pests. Drain the standing water or add a water feature like a fountain to keep it moving. Be sure to clean out all the leaves and debris from any garden ponds or pools you may have.

Clean out your gutters. Remove any leaves or twigs or other debris to keep birds and squirrels from using this for nesting material. It also will discourage insects from moving in.

Clean up your yard. To make your home unattractive for pests, prune the branches from trees to prevent squirrels and other animals from gaining access easily to your home. This way, they won’t be able to get into your home easily by finding holes or cracks to crawl through. Sometimes, squirrels will chew their way into your homes, so keeping them away will solve this problem. Include your garden in this clean up. You also will want to think about planting some plants that animals don’t like to keep them away from those they do like.

Seal up any cracks or holes. Sometimes over the winter, the exterior of your home will develop cracks or small holes due to weather. Be sure to check your exterior to see if there are any of these around. If there are, seal them up and make your home unattractive for pests. Check the places where wiring of any kind comes into your house. Replace worn weather stripping around doors and windows. If you have a chimney, be sure to install a cap or check the one you already have for holes or cracks.

Once you’ve done all you can if you still have pests around your home, you want the best professional to remove them. Heath’s Wildlife Service provides 24 hour emergency and long-term nuisance wildlife solutions for your home or business with a focus on customer service, mutual trust, and ongoing support and information. Chris Heath will give you a no-obligation, free estimate for removing pests from your home. If he doesn’t remove the pests you have, he can direct you to someone who can. Call 855-422-0434 or 603-664-0513. 

It’s spring, and you may become aware of bees around your house. Not necessarily in your house, but around the outside of it. You might see them buzzing around a small hole in the exterior of your home, and going in and out of it.

Even though bees are mostly a “leave me alone, and I’ll leave you alone” critter, you still may want to get them away from your house. This can be tricky. Not only do the bees around your house need to be removed, but any honey they’ve made also. If the honey is left behind, it will attract other critters you don’t want to your house.

Spring and summer are the times bees start looking for a new place to make their home. The queen and sometimes thousands of workers take off and buzz around, trying to find their new place.

Sometimes their new place is your place.

A local beekeeper might be able to find the queen and remove the hive she’s started. It’s important for you to identify the kind of varmint we’re talking about here before you contact the beekeeper. Beekeepers don’t like to be called out to take care of honeybees when they turn out to be wasps.

Those bees around your house may be bumblebees. They are usually colored yellow and black with a fat, round, hairy body. Not typically aggressive, bumblebees nest in existing cavities. A hole in your siding that lets them into the spaces between joists in your house is just right. The queen gets busy laying eggs and the workers get busy bringing in nectar for her. Colonies of bumblebees are mostly small.

Carpenter bees also may be the kind of bees around your house. They look like bumblebees, but their abdomen is shiny, not hairy, and black. They will hover when they fly, and bumblebees won’t. Each carpenter bee will eat a tiny hole in wood, one hole per bee. These bees are solitary creatures. Once again, the female will lay eggs in a gallery she bores out.

Bees by themselves may not be harmful to your house. You have to decide whether to get them out or not. But the best bet in getting bees out of your house is to contact a professional.

To get rid of bees around your house the most efficient and safe way, your best bet is to contact a professional. Heath’s Wildlife Service provides 24 hour emergency and long-term nuisance wildlife solutions for your home or business with a focus on customer service, mutual trust, and ongoing support and information. Chris Heath will give you a no-obligation, free estimate for removing pests from your home. If he doesn’t remove bees, he can direct you to someone who can. Call 855-422-0434 or 603-664-0513. 

Snake problems are no fun. Many people just plain don’t like snakes of any kind. Realizing that most snakes are helpful and mean no harm to people doesn’t overcome what seems to be an inborn dislike.

Spring is a good time to see lots of snake problems. They’re coming out of a long winter’s sleep and looking for places to lie in the sun and warm up. You’re likely to find them stretched out on your wood pile, maybe in your pool, living under your home, or even in your home.

Part of the fear people have of snakes is not being able to tell which ones are poisonous. Out of the approximately 120 species of snakes in the U.S., only 17 are poisonous. But there isn’t a good way to know which ones are among the seventeen. Some people say venomous snakes have a triangular head, but many snakes that aren’t poisonous also have triangular heads.

The best thing is to give them plenty of room.

Snakes are carnivorous, but they don’t chew their catch. They swallow it whole. Many of them get rid of pests like mice and rats, so they’re beneficial.

Snakes don’t need very much room to get into your home. A small hole is all that’s necessary. If this happens, you need a professional to remove it.

There are some things you can do to prevent snake problems in your home or on your property. The best thing to do is change the habitat around your home. Get rid of things a snake can hide under. Any boards or loose lumber or stacks of wood can be places for a snake to slither under.

Pick these things up, cut back weeds, and seal up any gaps or holes a snake could crawl through. You also could build a fence around your property. It would have to be solid, flush with the ground and possibly down into the ground. It should be angled about 20 degrees outward and at least two feet high. There can’t be any gaps at all in the fence.

To get rid of snake problems the most efficient and safe way, your best bet is to contact a professional. Heath’s Wildlife Service provides 24 hour emergency and long-term nuisance wildlife solutions for your home or business with a focus on customer service, mutual trust, and ongoing support and information. Chris Heath will give you a no-obligation, free estimate for removing pests from your home. Call 855-422-0434 or 603-664-0513. 

As the weather warms, spring animal problems increase. Animals get more active as the weather gets warmer and will be coming around looking for food. If the winter has been cold and wet, food could have been scarce. They’ll be hungry and searching for their own food and for food for their new babies.

Sometimes, spring animal problems come from the animals just traveling through your yard at night going somewhere else. But your dogs smell them and set up quite a racket that can make you really unpopular with your neighbors.

Be sure you don’t tempt these animals into stopping in your yard. Keep garbage cans closed tightly, move any pet food inside at night, and protect your plants from passing animals. These small things can cut down a lot on spring animal problems.

Keep in mind these animals are your neighbors, too. They live in the area and, even if you can’t see them in the day time, they are very active at night. You can be sure they will know every place where food is available.

During the spring, moles and voles begin making themselves known around your yard again. Their humped burrows become evident when you walk along the yard. Moles dig around your property looking for grubs and worms, and chewing through the roots of your grass and plants at the same time. Moles may eat 100% of their body weight every day. That’s a lot of worms and grubs.

Some people are tempted to feed animals because of their concern for them. This just adds to your spring animal problems. Feeding them brings them to your property where they can simply do more damage to it.

Animals do best on their own. Don’t try to rescue them by feeding them. You’re actually doing more harm than good.

If you see an animal that appears to be injured, don’t try to help it. You stand a good chance of getting hurt yourself.

In the spring, it’s possible you may run up on babies that appear to have been abandoned. It’s frequent that mother animals will leave their young for hours at a time. Don’t touch these young animals. Leave them alone.

If you have spring animal problems, your best bet is to contact a professional. Heath’s Wildlife Service provides 24 hour emergency and long-term nuisance wildlife solutions for your home or business with a focus on customer service, mutual trust, and ongoing support and information.