North Bellingham
Two doors, two problems: the crawl space vents that let everybody in
Heads up: these job stories may include photos of real pests and wildlife. Not for sensitive viewers.
On this North Bellingham house, the crawl space had two front doors, and both were wide open for business.
Door #1 (first photo): a vent with a screen that had seen better days. It's torn and bent, with nesting fluff hanging out like a 'Welcome' mat. Technically there's a screen. Practically, it's a suggestion.
Door #2 (second photo): no screen at all. Just two dark, open holes straight into a dry, sheltered crawl space. That's not a vent, that's a drive-thru.
And the critters noticed. Skunks, rats, opossums and raccoons were all coming and going. Rats need a gap about the size of a quarter. A raccoon just needs a little motivation. Skunks and opossums aren't picky either.
Here's the takeaway: walk around your house and look at every crawl space vent. You're checking for two things: screens that are torn, rusted or pushed in, and vents with no screen at all. Leaves piled against a vent can hide damage, so brush them away and look closely.
Found a torn screen or a missing one, or hear something moving under the floor? Call or text Gavin a photo. We'll get the uninvited guests out and close the doors behind them.