Condo Media - October 2018 - 60

The Region

MAINE

The Wilds of Maine

Insects, Rodents, and Small Animals ... Oh My!
[by Jack Carr, P.E., RS, LEED-AP]

What are the most dangerous
animals in the wilds of Maine? Some
might say moose, bear, and coyotes.
Property managers might disagree.
They might list groundhogs, opossums,
raccoons, skunks, and squirrels. These
are the pests that damage buildings and
create a real nuisance for unit owners.
Most condo building committees are
very diligent in ensuring the common
elements are well maintained. Building
envelopes are inspected for paint conditions, wood rot, deck safety, and roof surface appearance. But what about animal
infestations or other forms of attack by
nature? Though I strongly recommend
professional exterminators deal with
pest problems, it is often up to the condo
board or property managers to recognize
the initial signs of animal invasion.
BUILDING DAMAGE
When the thought of animals damaging
buildings comes to mind, most folks
think of termites. Yet termites are not
a problem in Maine. Termites do not

CONDOMEDIA October 2018

like to cross the Piscataqua River, due
to Maine's cold winters. A few termites
hitchhike in firewood smuggled into
Maine by campers "from away." Fortunately, these termites do not make
it through the winter.
Black carpenter ants are a different
matter. These pests are bred local and
are hearty Maine creatures, and they
are always looking for a good home to
eat. They particularly like wet wood.
This creates a double-jeopardy problem
because when you find you are infested
with black ants you will likely find you
also have to deal with damp or rotting
wood trims, sills, or siding.
Signs of wood damage are often very
subtle. It could be new wood sawdust in
unexpected places or wood that seems
to have a hollow sound when tapped.
Sometimes nature lends a hand by having other creatures point out you have
an insect problem. If unit owners are
complaining about the noise woodpeckers are making banging on the building's corner boards, even to the point

of making sizeable holes in the wood
trim or siding, it can be a sure sign the
birds heard insect activity in the building envelope and are exploring for food.
Rodents are another source of problems. Field mice are always trying to get
inside. They nest in fiberglass insulation so when you see signs of insulation
disturbance in the attic or basement, it
is a sign. Rodents in general have fast
growing teeth causing them to gnaw on
everything, including electrical insulation, to keep their teeth short while
sharpening them. Flying squirrels and
red squirrels are the worst as they seem
to enter attics through even the smallest
gaps in roof eaves or vent louvres. Oddly
enough, bats are a nuisance not from
the damage they cause to buildings but
the smell and possible diseases they
bring into the structure.
Raccoons and opossums are great
climbers and, like all animals, will follow the food. Be careful about birdfeeders and garbage storage. I recall one
large building I inspected that was to be

Condo Media - October 2018

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