Spring is here in many areas and something you may not think about is also here, nesting season. Birds looking for a new home will be descending upon your house, looking for someplace to call their home. There are many species of birds, with many different nesting habits but all birds fall into one of two categories, migratory and non-migratory.

Non-migratory birds are birds that stay in one area during all seasons, although they can and do sometimes change nesting locations during the year. Migratory birds, depending on the species, can return to the same nest year after year or chose a new site and build a new nest each year. Some species of birds use multiple nesting areas, as many as 4 or 5 different nests each year.

I know this article is supposed to be about maintaining you home vents systems but I wanted you to realize the threat of intrusion to your home from our feathered friends.

Take a couple minutes and watch the video below for a real life example of what our feathered friends can do.

Pretty incredible isn’t it. The precautions you undertake to keep birds out of your home will also help to keep out squirrels and raccoon's out of your home. Well maintained regular type roof and gable vents are generally sufficient to keep animals out of your home. However, after animals have already nested in your home they may go to extreme measure to unlock the door you have locked. In these type of situations you will need some extra protection. On flat vertical surfaces like gable vents you can install heavy metal screening typically from the inside. Here is a helpful link topurchase that extra protection for your roof vents.

Do not cover a vent or opening until you make sure the intruding animal is not inside your home. If you suspect an animal is still in your home please do not secure the hole or entrance point. Call a wildlife removal service before securing the area of entrance. Finally please be sure to follow all safety precaution when climbing on the roof.

As featured last month... An incredibly valuable report for everyone who is considering a remodeling project.

 Access the 2015 report here

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Memorial Day BBQ

With Memorial Day coming at the end of the month I thought I would include a great yet simple meal that can be prepared on the grill.

That meal will consist of well seasoned steak or other cut of beef, grilled medley of vegetables, and seasoned baked potatoes, with kicked up sour cream.

To begin with let’s prepare the marinade for the meat, you will need;

· Flat container slightly larger that will allow your meat to lay flat, or large zip lock bag.

· ½ cup of olive oil

· 1/3 cup soy sauce

· 1/4 cup Worchester Sauce

· 1/3 cup lemon juice

· 3 tbsp dried basil

· 1 ½ tbsp fresh chopped garlic

· 1 ½ Tbsp of dried parsley

· 1 tsp ground black or white pepper

· Optional ¼ tsp of hot pepper sauce

Mix together and place in blender for 30 seconds on high. Pour over meat or into a zip lock bag and add meat. Refrigerate for minimum 8 hours, overnight is best.

To prepare your baked potatoes, wash them and while still wet thoroughly coat them with large crystal sea salt and wrap in tin foil. The potatoes generally take about 45 minutes to an hour to cook.

Special kicked up sour cream for the baked potatoes is very simple.

Simply mix;

· 1 cup of sour cream

· ½ tsp of garlic powder

· 2 tbsp of dried minced onions

· ¼ tsp of black pepper

· ¼ tsp of Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

Mix together thoroughly and refrigerate, overnight is best. When you are ready to serve, cut your baked potatoes in half, pinching the halves together to loosen the potato up. Then drop a spoonful of your kicked up sour cream into the center and watch it melt and run throughout the potato!!

Cut your choice of vegetables up so they are about the same thickness but into larger pieces. I use a blend of;

· Carrots

· Celery

· Red bell pepper

· Zucchini

· Red onion

· Parsnips

You can substitute anything you like, and quantities you like.

Pour ½ cup of olive oil in a large zip lock bag and add vegetables until you coat them. Remove them from the bag and place them on a large sheet of tin foil,(you may need 2 pieces together) keeping them close together, sprinkle with garlic powder, Lawry’s seasoned salt and black pepper. Close the foil around the vegetable.

The vegetables will take about ½ the time the potatoes take to cook and not directly over the heat.

Pull this BBQ off and you will earn your BBQ Chef Badge!! The family will be so thankful!