Seattle Home Inspector's Blog

Good morning Charles ~ Yes, I have seen many houses that have Ivy growing on the outer walls, looks great and a bit quaint, but with it brings many critters . Not just rats, bugs, roaches etc... not my cup a tea.

Charles - It's the look that counts.  What's a few extra rats if your house has that "old school" look.  And if we didn't allow a few varmints in our homes, what would the critter ridders do?

I hear you but did not realize that the rodent problem was an avenue too! WOW!

New foreclosure in my nick of the woods has that problem too Charles.

I will not be setting foot into this garage.  I'll just let the critters have it and tell the potential buyers that the critters are a free bonus if they buy this one.

I love controlled ivy (that's an oxymoron) crawling up posts but know better. So I always hope a neighbor opts anyway for the creepers and I live vicariously through their choice.

As a sidebar (a way to disguise rambling) A daughter just redid their entire backyard and found a skunk digging away in the nice loose soil over the week-end. Rodents! Yuck.

Jan, true----and a pathway for moisture into the structure as well.

John, what is that saying, "It is better to look good than feel good."

Russell, yup, rodents need a highway too:)

Tammy, come on, just grab a broom and go on in:)

Skunks (a euphamism for perfumed squirrel)

Perhaps Nutsy needs a new look to add to his many faces... (hint hint)

I love "crappy" camellia, you're making me sad Charles :)

Tree rats around here are the worst..I lifted up my bbq grill lid once and out shot the rat. I will rethink my views on certain kinds of vegetation.

Mr Charles,

Your silly, and infantile, little post ONLY makes sense if one accepts that there is some problem with rodents and, personally, I resemble the term "tree rats." Oh yes, that floozy Mrs Kate will jump for joy about how clever you are, but it does not play in Searcy or Bellingham.

Nutsy

Whoa, a little vehement are we? Oh well, Nutsy, you know what they say about vehement squirrels. They resemble rats. Ms Kate

PS Nutsy, did you read Ms. Ana's account of a squirrel I mean rat (what's the difference anyway) in a bbq? heheh

Mrs Kate,

I am reluctant to ask for your advice at anything, but who is Mrs Anna and what does she know about squirrels compared to me? Probably very little. Mean people make Nutsy very angry

N.S. Wallenda

"The squirrel doth protest too much, methinks."

Kate, I will be working on that:)

Ana, sorry about the crappy camelia comment:)

Nutsy, you are chock full of nutsy

Kate, I think Ana may have it figure out:)

Nutsy, and what is the problem with that?

Kate----WAY too much

Ivy has become public enemy number one at my house Charles!
Remember when Friday was the end of the week?
Paul

Ha! Thanks for a rodent post, Charles -- you can have them (even cute furry squirrel if they try to get into my house).  One of the big ones here in Florida is palm trees: when the fronds start drooping on the roof, there is a perfect rodent and bug avenue.  It's a tricky balance, since you want shade, but you don't want fruit rats (!).

I was showing a house the other day and the owner was there.  I mentioned she has a lot of stuff growing on the house and it wasn't good for the house.  She said she loved the look more than she cared about the possible dangers!  She's selling it so hope the next owner will be smarter.

The term "crappy camelia" just turned off all of the South.  No one has EVER called a camelia crappy.  And calling Nutsy a critter wasn't very polite either.  Nutsy wears many hats with style and verve.  At least you didn't call him a "crappy critter."

Paul, Ivy can be really invasive----as pretty as it might be

Shoshana, rats just love to operate from places of cover---they don't like to be out in the open much

Barbara, I really didn't mean to offend the entire South with my comment about camelias:)  In fact, I think they are really beautiful.  Around here the blossoms seem to last about a day and then drop and turn brown though.  The "crappy critter" goes without saying.

I just had a client that was admiring the ivy.  Took a bit of re-education and he really didn't get it until we were inside the house and he saw the ivy growing in aroung the frame of a window.

Hard a heck to kill, too.

Mr Charles,

You had better watch your big mouth around my Godmother. She calls you on the carpet, rightfully so and it makes Nutsy, her Godson, so very happy.

Nutsy, her Godson

Paul, I know what you mean----I had one once where the ivy had gotten in the cleanout of the chimney and was growing out throught the ash dump opening in the fireplace.

Nutsy=Issues

Charles:  Great pics.  Carpenter ants seem to love hanging out in ivy too.  I always tell people that they can do anything they want, after all it is their home but I would not let Ivy anywhere near my home.

Jim, for sure----great pathway for Carpenter ants into the home.

I once ENCOURAGED  ivy to grow because I loved the look. Learned that lesson! It's easier to let the cat out of the bag than it is to put back in...it was so hard to eradicate the ivy! Never again!

Leslie, I think Ivy is kind of designed to be invasive:)

Charlie, for a guy who doesn't like rats you sure seem to like to tell us about those nasty relatives of Nutsy.

James it is kind like driving by a car wreck and not looking:)