Wildlife Proofing Historic Homes: Preservation Meets Prevention

HWCS Expert Team

Owners of historic homes know that maintenance is a labor of love. Whether it’s a Victorian in Old Louisville, an Italianate in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine, or a Greek Revival in New Orleans’ Garden District, these homes have character. Unfortunately, they also have gaps.

Why Historic Homes Are Targets

  1. Settling: Over 100+ years, foundations settle and wood shifts, creating gaps at the roofline and corners that wildlife exploit.
  2. Complex Rooflines: Turrets, dormers, and box gutters create intricate nooks and crannies that are hard to inspect and perfect for nesting.
  3. Old Wood: Original fascia and soffits may have soft rot that modern vinyl homes don’t have, making chewing easy for squirrels.
  4. Stone Foundations: Michigan basements or rubble foundations often have gaps in the mortar where snakes and mice enter.

The Preservation Challenge

You can’t just slap a piece of shiny galvanized steel over a hole in 150-year-old decorative molding. It ruins the aesthetic and may violate historic preservation board rules.

The HWCS Approach to Historic Preservation

We specialize in “Invisible Exclusion.”

  • Custom Bending: We use metal brakes to custom-bend flashing that mimics the exact profile of your historic molding.
  • Color Matching: We don’t just use silver mesh. We paint our exclusion materials to match the aged wood or brick of your home, making the repair virtually invisible from the street.
  • Internal Screening: Whenever possible, we install screens from the inside of vents or louvers to preserve the external appearance.
  • Box Gutter Restoration: We can line and seal box gutters to prevent raccoon entry while maintaining their function.

Protecting history means protecting it from the gnawing teeth of rodents. We treat your historic gem with the care it deserves.