Hungry Squirrel+Cedar Siding = Full Squirrel

A homeowner in central Maryland noticed that squirrels were chewing their new untreated cedar shingle siding...and not just chewing as a means to get into the attic...they were actually eating the stuff. What to do?

Bill Feist, coauthor of Finishes for Exterior Wood, suggested several options. His first line of defense is in line with all other efforts to discourage squirrels from ...well from being squirrely - experiment. One possible solution is a "taste repellent" containing thiram, a fungicide registered with the EPA for general use. Repellents containing thiram at a concentration of at least 1-to-25 have been reported to be effective on squirrels. Another option is the repellent Ro-pel (I'd say some adult beverages were involved in coming up with the name). The main reason Ro-pel works is it gives the squirrel a bitter taste to think about whether he (or she) really wants to eat the stuff he's chewing on or not. Some birdseed includes a repellent based on capsaicin. The capsaicin compound is found in chili peppers...it's the "hot" in hot sauce. The EPA has registered it as an animal repellent that won't cause adverse effect on people or the environment. Unless of course you decide to drink a bottle of Texas Pete...I'd say you'll probably have some adverse effects with that... In fact Miller Hot Sauce Repellent contains 2.5 percent capsaicin. It is a taste based repellent for use on ornamentals and fruit trees. Squirrel Away is another capsaicin based repellent used as a birdseed supplement.

Of course if you get a squirrel that likes hot sauce you may be up the proverbial creek without the proverbial paddle. That's when a physical barrier may need to be considered. Although unsightly, they do offer one more avenue of defense. Their are several different options in physical barriers including drywall corner bead, wire mesh, etc...all with descending degrees of physical beautification factors. There is one other means of physical barriers that include high speed propellant based powder...but that wouldn't be politically correct. Cheers.

Paint It Green...And They Will Come

Problem: A particular California town is trying to deal with the not so Californian look of it's distressed neighbor hoods.

Solution: The town hired a contractor to spray paint bare spots on the lawns of vacant properties with a green dye. Of course in good Californian fashion, the dye is water soluble and environmentally friendly. The average cost is about $550 per lawn. Since it lasts only about six months or so, that's about $3.00 per day, per property. The town is hoping the foreclosed properties sell before the lawns need touched up.

Product Spotlight: Shake Absorber

A jet engine revving for take-off can pale in comparison to some high-speed washer's spin cycles. High efficiency washers and dryers, including front load, top load, combo and stackables rotate at an average speed of 1,200 RPM and above. That is twice as fast as a conventional top loading washing machine. Now there's a solution. Enter Kellett Enterprises Shake Away Plus Pads. Place these nifty 1" thick neoprene and ABS lamination pads under the legs of your washing machine and listen...actually listen to the rattling noise less. These are similar to the specialized pads made for machinery vibration isolation and HVAC equipment noise suppression. They retail at $29.95 for a package of 4 pads.

More information can be found at www.keshakeaway.com.

Home Sizes Shrinking

The Census Bureau has found an interesting new trend...the average home size is now shrinking. The average home size at the end of 2008 was 2,438 square feet down from 2,629 square feet only 6 months earlier. The National Association of Home Builders expects this trend to continue into the future. The NAHB cites affordability, shrinking families and an industry survey which shows 9 out of 10 builders planning to build smaller, lower priced homes.

Here in Southeastern North Carolina we're finding a somewhat similar trend. The custom homes Blue Sky Building Company are building or designing for communities like Ocean Ridge Plantation, River's Edge Plantation, The Thistle, as well as the coastal communities of Ocean Isle Beach and Sunset Beach are tending to be somewhat smaller. The baby boomer and second/vacation home buyer have been affected just like everyone else in this economy. So, at Blue Sky Building Company we're working on more efficient designs, maximizing the lifestyle here at the coast with the new custom home features demanded in this market. All in all it's a positive move towards better, more efficient designs.

For more Energy Star and Green Building news in the home building market visit our Green Home blog at http://certifiedgreenhomes.blogspot.com/

Luke Perisich
Blue Sky Building Company
www.blueskybuildingcompany.com
luke@blueskybuildingcompany.com

Yes, Another New Blog

So...this is our inaugural post to our brand new blog for Blue Sky Building Company. Blue Sky Building Company is a custom building company located in the South Brunswick Island area of Southeastern North Carolina. We build in the water and golf communities of our area. The purpose of this blog is to inform, educate and entertain. Some posts may be way too techy, others are just going to be snippets of interesting items. I have a feeling the posts will come in bursts of activity. Thank you for looking.

Best,

Luke Perisich
Blue Sky Building Company LLC