A hole the size of a nickel can allows small rodents, including rats and mice, inside your home. Roaches and insects don’t even need a space that large to make their way inside a building. One of the common pieces of advice shared by professionals is to ensure your home is properly sealed as part of preventative maintenance. One of those aspects to sealing your home is to cover the ventilation outlets for your residence. The holes in in your eaves, vents, and other ventilation or utility ports are supposed to be covered with a pest-proof mesh covering that still allows ventilation. To keep rats, mice, and birds in addition to other pests repelled from these ventilation shafts, a mesh covering is necessary. Other types of attempts to seal with wood or other such materials can be easily destroyed by pests and cause other types of damage and dilemmas without proper ventilation. One of these pest control mesh coverings is known as hardware cloth, and today we at A Five Star Termite and Pest Control would like to offer steps to install the mesh to keep pests out without restricting airflow in the various ventilation openings.
Supplies Needed to Install Attic & Gable Vent Mesh
– Aviation or tin snips
– Extension ladder
– Flashlight
– Galvanized hardware cloth, 1/8″ x 1/8″ weave mesh
– Galvanized roofing nails
– Hammer
– Heavy work gloves
– Tape measure
How to Install Mesh Pest Screens
Step 1: Cover attic ventilation holes as well as any other ventilation outlets around the home.
Where you need to reach the ventilation holes along the eaves and other higher locations, you will need to set up extension ladder. Use your flashlight to inspect the openings to ensure they are clear from obstructions, such as nests, pests, or other debris. There needs to proper air flow before placing the covering on.
To determine the size hardware cloth you will need, use the tape measure to measure the space. Add an inch to extend the mesh covering past the outlets. Keep in mind, hardware mesh often comes in a variety of sizes, including 1/8″, 1/4″, and ½”. The ½” can still allow rodents access, and to help offer better coverage, the 1/8” is more optimal. People often confuse the hardware mesh with chicken wire or poultry; it is important you avoid this material as the wire is too thin and the openings too large.
Step 2: Preparing to cover the ventilation holes.
Using aviation snips or standard tin snips, cut the hardware cloth to size. To prevent having edges with sharp protruding ends, whenever possible, cut closely along the side of a wire. The hardy gloves should be worn during the cutting and installing process to prevent getting your hands cut on any sharp metal edges.
Step 3: Cover the ventilation holes.
Over the ventilation holes, place the cut piece of hardware cloth and use the roofing nails to secure it. The cloth needs to lie flat against the surface so be sure to nail every 2″ to 3″ along the edges.
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Once your efforts are completed, invest in a maintenance pest control service to eliminate any pests that were sealed inside, and the mesh and other sealing options will help prevent pests from coming inside. Call A Five Star Termite and Pest Control for your pest control needs.
