Bugs, Bats, Bees and Beasts by Arthur Beeken

Post on 13-May-2015

376 views 0 download

description

Arthur Beeken's ACI 2011 Presentation about infestations and their implications for building performance.

Transcript of Bugs, Bats, Bees and Beasts by Arthur Beeken

Bee, Wasp, Bat & BirdInfestation Avoidance

© Hybrid Home Performance

Certified Proctor

© Hybrid Home Performance2

Bee, Wasp, Bat & Bird Infestation AvoidancePresentation Objectives:• You realize the important roll of our little pollen-aters• You can identify hives in the wild• You can recognize a swarm in transition verses an established hive• You can recognize bees scouting verses an established hive•You know how to approach a hive and what to do if attacked• You realize the potential negative impacts of bees on weather barriers, thermal boundaries, pressure boundaries, and combustion safety.• You can manage a typical (Huh?) extraction through repair process• You can move through the repair process quickly without sacrificing quality or performance• You can avoid the “recall Bee-call”• You can create opportunities for additional work with building perimeter “Bee-sealing”

© Hybrid Home Performance3

Typical Commercial Bee Hive Location

• Managed hives in Central California Almond Country•Beekeepers are feeding hives diluted corn syrup protein product similar to that in a Power Bar

• A Beekeeper can gross over $500K in a month moving 3700 hives from Florida.• Today, systemic pesticides threaten both wild and domestic hives

© Hybrid Home Performance4

Hanging Thriving Bee Colony

• Bees in the wild

•1 to 3 months old

• Healthy colony

• Wind/Weather exposed•APPROACH WITH CAUTION!

© Hybrid Home Performance5

Hanging Swarm Viewed Though Kitchen Window

• A solid mass of bees protecting the Queen

• Could stay and build

• Could move on after resting

• Minutes to hours old

• Generally not aggressive

© Hybrid Home Performance6

Swarm Resting On Stucco Wall

• Minutes to hours old

• Bees will likely move on within hours• Generally not aggressive

© Hybrid Home Performance7

Swimming Pool Cover Locker

•Bees are infesters of opportunity• They do not discriminate

© Hybrid Home Performance8

A Closer Look

•This locker is permanently “tagged” with pheromone scent

© Hybrid Home Performance9

Two or Three Week Old Colony

• Very gentle Italian bees• Small field force• An easily accessible live removal

© Hybrid Home Performance10

Cardboard Travel Closet—Alternative Use

• Very young colony

• Little comb production

© Hybrid Home Performance11

Jacket From Cardboard Travel Closet

•Contents of cardboard closet from previous slide

• Gentle Italian bees

© Hybrid Home Performance12

Jacket From Cardboard Travel Closet

• Hours old comb

• Another easy live removal

© Hybrid Home Performance13

Early Major Removal

• Cars had just been invented

© Hybrid Home Performance14

Very Large Eve Colony

•Established hive

•Beekeeper preparing for live removal

© Hybrid Home Performance15

Very Large Eve Colony

• A closer look

• Note honey flow under the hive

•Probably cooler day

© Hybrid Home Performance16

Large Perinea Colony Contoured with Eve Trim

•Time to relocate the bees

© Hybrid Home Performance17

Large Established Colony

• Chaos following extraction team entry of attic• Honey Bee hive least 6 months old

© Hybrid Home Performance18

Colony From Previous Slide—Attic view

• Hive awaits live removal • Notice roof slope on left• Skip sheathing provides opportunity for bees to traverse from joist bay to joist bay.• Notice honey flow at left.

© Hybrid Home Performance19

Typical Attic Colony At Chimney

• Notice open cells

• Notice wax connection to rafter• Notice honey flow on chimney•Unattended (exterminated) hives can collapse within days, sometimes hours

© Hybrid Home Performance20

Typical Larger Attic Colony– Shake Roof

•Large field force out

• Lots of new fresh honey comb• Notice comb construction at vertical 2x4 edge

© Hybrid Home Performance21

Attic Hallow Infestation

•Difficult access from attic• Clear blown insulation• Plank ceiling joists• Evacuate hive• Air seal and bee seal• Reset insulation• Notice shiners

© Hybrid Home Performance22

Typical Roof Cavity Infestation

• Note entry point

© Hybrid Home Performance23

Typical Roof Cavity Infestation

• Single season age• Unusual solid sheathing under shakes• Note lip at plywood edge connection to fascia edge• Note tracking at entry

© Hybrid Home Performance24

Typical Roof Cavity Infestation

• Is the colony in the wall below?

• Note void below rafter tail

© Hybrid Home Performance25

Typical Roof Cavity Infestation

• Finished repair

• Two hives in similar locations• One likely swarmed from other

© Hybrid Home Performance26

Typical Roof Cavity Infestation At Chimney

• Bees accessed at edge of chimney and traveled to center behind chimney

© Hybrid Home Performance27

Typical Roof Cavity Infestation At Chimney

•Cooler day• Clustered colony

© Hybrid Home Performance28

Typical Roof Cavity Infestation At Chimney

• Notice the mined insulation under bee hive location on sheathing

© Hybrid Home Performance29

Typical Pillar Infestation

• Tops of support pillars are generally protected from weather but not bees or wasps

© Hybrid Home Performance30

Typical Pillar Infestation

• Selective deconstruction yields a much simpler job.

© Hybrid Home Performance31

Typical Pillar Infestation

• Hive somewhat in distress• Very little brood comb• Possibly a queen-less hive• Possible hive collapse

© Hybrid Home Performance32

Typical Pillar Infestation

• Nozzle placement traps returning field force

© Hybrid Home Performance33

Typical Pillar Repair

• Clean interior of hallow• Expanding foam followed by dense packed fiberglass• Reassemble air tight

© Hybrid Home Performance34

Typical, Common, Entry Points

• Downspout Penetrations

© Hybrid Home Performance35

Typical, Common, Entry Points

• Between layers of fiber insulation• Voids created by Simpson style hangers.

© Hybrid Home Performance36

Typical, Common, Entry Points

• Gas pipe penetrations• Oversized hole provides easy access

© Hybrid Home Performance37

Typical Shaker Town/Cedar Shingle Infestation

•Caution tape barrier• Deconstruct fence to facilitate scaffold placement

© Hybrid Home Performance38

Typical Shaker Town/Cedar Shingle Infestation

• Two hive locations• Rented scaffold• Notice intermediate plank

© Hybrid Home Performance39

Typical Shaker Town/Cedar Shingle Infestation

•Bees generally prefer altitude

© Hybrid Home Performance40

Typical Shaker Town/Cedar Shingle Infestation

•Cavity full—likely source hive for infestation below

© Hybrid Home Performance41

Typical Shaker Town/Cedar Shingle Infestation

•Live extraction half completed

© Hybrid Home Performance42

Typical Shaker Town/Cedar Shingle Infestation

•Extracting bees from abandoned brood comb

© Hybrid Home Performance43

Typical Shaker Town/Cedar Shingle Infestation

• Seam Between Abandoned Brood and Honey Comb• Worker Bees Cleaning Honey

© Hybrid Home Performance44

Typical Shaker Town/Cedar Shingle Infestation

• Lower hive•numerous entry points

© Hybrid Home Performance45

Typical Shaker Town/Cedar Shingle Infestation

• Initial glass deterrent followed gun foam caulking• Complete fiberglass install filling voids at each interior surface of the cavity

© Hybrid Home Performance46

Typical Comp Roof Infestation

• Calistoga Hills

© Hybrid Home Performance47

Typical Comp Roof Infestation

• Safety rails on scaffold• A lot of prep work for a one day job

© Hybrid Home Performance48

Typical Comp Roof Infestation

• The suit magnifies the effects of the sun• Take it slow. Stay in the shade

© Hybrid Home Performance49

Typical Comp Roof Infestation

•Safe perspective for home owners observations

© Hybrid Home Performance50

Typical Comp Roof Infestation

•Cleaned cavity

• Ready for bee seal

© Hybrid Home Performance51

Typical Comp Roof Infestation

•Beginning the bee seal

• Gun foam at all seams from the inside where ever accessible.• Tight packed fiberglass batts in contact with all internal surfaces• Clear caulk exterior seams or use blending color. Minimum 25 year caulking

© Hybrid Home Performance52

Typical Comp Roof Infestation

• Re-weave old roof shingles• Apply new roof adhesive (Henrys 208 or Equivalent)

© Hybrid Home Performance53

Typical Comp Roof Infestation

• Complete project• Our Motto: “You Can’t Tell We’ve Been Here”• Very typical entry point.• Honey flow will be collected by “robbers”

© Hybrid Home Performance54

Enjoying the Fruits of our Labors

•Pure honey comb recovered from local hive removal• Holistic treatment for hay fever, and allergic cough.• Honey comb was a principal ingredient in early chewing gum• Both honey and comb are principally carbohydrate and completely edible• Honey does not naturally spoil.

© Hybrid Home Performance55

Established Colony in Entry floor

• Health & Safety

• Attractive nuisance• Affects conditioned space

• Disrupted flight

• Door opening

• Interior traffic

• Stair traffic

© Hybrid Home Performance56

Established Colony in Primary Entry Floor

•“Bee Line” flight pattern

• Notice entry point

• Retrofit gas line terminates in living space.

© Hybrid Home Performance57

Established Colony Over Entry Door

• Boot print• Familiar traditional construction design• Typical re-infestation pattern• Notice entry point

© Hybrid Home Performance58

Typical, Common, Entry Points

• New construction• Badly miter or un-sealed V-Rustic siding (used as roof decking) connection to wall

© Hybrid Home Performance59

How Much Damage Can Infestation Cause?

• SF Seminary in Marin County• Unreinforced stone building• Many entry points

© Hybrid Home Performance60

Typical Honey Damage

• Many entry points• Incomplete flashing details• Deferred maintenance• Incomplete repairs

© Hybrid Home Performance61

Typical Honey Damage

• Honey flow below windows• Piles of dead bees on the floor

© Hybrid Home Performance62

Typical Honey Damage

• Plaster damage from moisture and fungus•Honey & water is a damaging blend.• Notice standing honey on horizontal window barrier and hardwood floor below

© Hybrid Home Performance63

Typical Honey Damage

• Moisture damage to plaster• Honey flow on glass• Bees entering at mason’s mortar pointing round window arched area

© Hybrid Home Performance64

Typical Honey Damage

• Capillary action works for honey as well.• Internal honey flow from previously exterminated hive above windows, driving through exterior cement plaster finish to daylight• Results in fungus, mold and mildew inside and out.

© Hybrid Home Performance65

Perennial Colony in Chimney

•Note adjacent un-affected chimney liner• A similar infestation in adjacent liner could be deadly backing up combustion gasses• Bees would be well established before CO levels became a problem

© Hybrid Home Performance66

Perennial Colony in Chimney

•Selective de-construction of chimney• Years of condensing combustion gasses depositing acid on masonry surfaces has destroyed the bond and adhesion of the mortar.• This makes our job , cleaning the brick, that much easier.

© Hybrid Home Performance67

Perennial Colony in Chimney

• Delicate live removal • Note alternative use of ladder• Completely blocked chimney would have a dramatic effect on IAQ

© Hybrid Home Performance68

Dryer Vent infestation

• Zero exhaust flow• Dramatic reduction in dryer efficiency•What if this were a combustion gas vent

© Hybrid Home Performance69

Typical Floor Cavity Completed Extraction

• Removed Colony.

• Follow With Foam Caulk at all seams then dense pack Fiberglass completely filling cavity

© Hybrid Home Performance70

Typical Floor Cavity Deterrent Application

• Proper Insulation Techniques for Adequate Barrier• Notice Lip in Plywood Edge for Backing Install• Hold blocking under and against subfloor.• Pull tight by through screwing with drywall screws• Reset previously cut out section of sub-floor

© Hybrid Home Performance71

Typical Floor Cavity Repair

• Job complete

•A scuba tank has a 125 PSI secondary air stage • It shoots small caliber fasteners all day long on one air fill• A bit easier than a compressor to carry up three flights of stairs.

© Hybrid Home Performance72

Typical Floor/Ceiling Hallow Infestation

•Not down wall on left

© Hybrid Home Performance73

Typical Floor/Ceiling Hallow Infestation

• Wall and Ceiling Location• Notice chimney section inside the wall

© Hybrid Home Performance74

Typical Floor/Ceiling Hallow Infestation

• Bees take advantage of poor IIQ• Notice mining of craft paper and insulation• Smaller darker brand of honey bee

• A recent import?

© Hybrid Home Performance75

Unusual Entry in Top of Scupper Roof Drain

• Deterioration in thin wall metal traverse pipe• No interior water staining yet bees were entering here.

© Hybrid Home Performance76

Typical Interior Lath & Plaster Wall Repair

• Lath & plaster wall• Variable wall surface thickness• Variable wall surface condition• Fur out wall frame to a flat plane, shy of adjacent edges• Spray prime bare lath and exposed cement plaster brown coat• Depending on depth of patch, fill in with 5/8 or ½ inch Gypsum

© Hybrid Home Performance77

Typical Interior Lath & Plaster Wall Repair

Spot prime any non-sheet rock surface• Fill in larger voids with Quick Rock filler• Prime Quick Rock • Float with 20 Minute Mud• Skip trowel with 45 or 90 Min Mud•Flash dry with breeze box type fan or heat gun.•Prime all new work• Feather in owners finish paint• Owner complained because we finished in one day..”Too Expensive”

© Hybrid Home Performance78

Typical, Common, Entry Points

•Install metal nosing over plywood shear applied over skip sheath• Infill all uneven areas or areas where plywood and sheathing are separating

© Hybrid Home Performance79

Typical, Common, Entry Points

•Through grooves in vertical siding• Through ¼ inch vent screen at gable vent

© Hybrid Home Performance80

Typical, Common, Entry Points

•At the bottom of valleys• Under overhangs at roof/wall transitions

© Hybrid Home Performance81

Typical, Common, Entry Points

• Under low clearance or inaccessible overhangs

© Hybrid Home Performance82

Typical, Common, Entry Points

• Under eve overhang• At transition to trim• Note equipment (vacuum) delivery system

© Hybrid Home Performance83

Typical, Common, Entry Points

•Either side of chimney• Note incomplete paint on trim

© Hybrid Home Performance84

Typical, Common, Entry Points

•Entry at chimney flash

© Hybrid Home Performance85

Typical, Common, Entry Points

• Chimney separations• Chimney flash• Shed to wall flash• Edge of roof—Especially at outside corners.

© Hybrid Home Performance86

Typical Chimney Transition

• Often with new construction• Nearly always with re-roof or remodel.

© Hybrid Home Performance87

A Closer Look at typical assemblies.

• Weather barrier must be as tight as others.• Typical clearance found transitioning form one structural element to another.

© Hybrid Home Performance88

Typical Bumble Bee Colony

• Bumble Bees are nectar gatherers• They will Land and walk to their hive….sometimes 20 feet or more• Very territorial and aggressive

© Hybrid Home Performance89

Typical, Common, Entry Points

• Around air conditioners

© Hybrid Home Performance90

Typical, Common, Entry Points

• Use expanding foam or dense foam tape.

© Hybrid Home Performance91

Typical, Common, Entry Points

•Entry at pipe penetrations or cavities created by pipe runs.

© Hybrid Home Performance92

Sealing Techniques

• Physically Fill Entry Points

© Hybrid Home Performance93

Sealing Techniques

• Double layer felt• Double check gutter wall connections and downspout connections• Voids are often found

© Hybrid Home Performance94

Sealing Techniques

•Metal flash Better• More solar resistant product would be a better choice at base of tile

© Hybrid Home Performance95

Typical Yellow Jacket (Wasp) Nest

• Undisturbed

• Small Entry in Dirt

© Hybrid Home Performance96

Typical Yellow Jacket (Wasp) Nest

• Probing for Cavity

© Hybrid Home Performance97

Typical Yellow Jacket (Wasp) Nest

• Water Mellon Sized• Large Enough to Be Perennial Hive

© Hybrid Home Performance98

Typical Yellow Jacket (Wasp) Nest

• Vacuum Nozzle Trapping Returning Field Force.

© Hybrid Home Performance99

Typical Yellow Jacket (Wasp) Nest

•Very dangerous location

© Hybrid Home Performance100

Yellow Jacket Countermeasures

•Trapping scouting queens keeps hives from occurring• Place jacket traps after studying flight patterns

© Hybrid Home Performance101

Yellow Jacket Trap Production

• Split Bait Between Two Traps to Economize• Always Wear Heavy latex gloves when baiting traps• Pheromones will bring the wasps to the traps or to you.

© Hybrid Home Performance102

Sealing Techniques

• Rodents/raccoons or pigeons can remove seal.

•Seal face nailing with a dab of Henry’s 208 or equiv.

© Hybrid Home Performance103

Sealing Techniques

• Take heavier Measures

• Field bent medium aluminum.

• The seal will last longer than the roof.

© Hybrid Home Performance104

Sealing Techniques

•Pigeon barrier

© Hybrid Home Performance105

Mice, Rats, or Bats?

• Random droppings

• In open space

• No trail or pattern

© Hybrid Home Performance106

Mice, Rats, or Bats?

• Random droppings

• In open space

• No trail or pattern

© Hybrid Home Performance107

Mice, Rats, or Bats?

• Concentrated deposit of droppings• Near a break in vertical elevation

• Focused pattern

• RESPERATORS ON

© Hybrid Home Performance108

Bat Infestation—Re-occurring Problem

• Typical native bat • Catching up on beauty sleep• Treat job as though you’re doing lead or asbestos

© Hybrid Home Performance109

Bat Infestation—Re-occurring Infestation

• PCO (Pest Control Operator was unable to resolve • Initial job was a bee removal/repair• Established customer trust• Two day job became a three month job

© Hybrid Home Performance110

Bat Infestation—Re-occurring Problem

• In California we presume all bats are rabid• If you see a bat in the daylight it is certain

© Hybrid Home Performance111

Bat Infestation—Re-occurring Problem

•In California we presume all bats are rabid• If you see a bat in the daylight it is certain

© Hybrid Home Performance112

Bat Infestation—Re-occurring Problem

• Usually take the high ground.

© Hybrid Home Performance113

Bat Infestation—Permanent Solution

• Open cell foam

• Application underway

© Hybrid Home Performance114

Bat Infestation—Re-occurring Problem

• Moving air and thermal barrier from ceiling to roof

© Hybrid Home Performance115

Bat Infestation—No Longer a Problem

• Completed application

• 8 inches of open cell foam

© Hybrid Home Performance116

Bat Infestation—No Longer a Problem

• Treated Dormer

© Hybrid Home Performance117

Knee Wall Above Stair Case Lid

• Effective air and thermal barrier

• Lid to staircase was missed

• We’ll follow with blown callous

© Hybrid Home Performance118

Precautionary Elevated Planking

• Detailing air seal to follow

© Hybrid Home Performance119

Follow with Air Sealing then R-30 with Hi IIQ

•` No more tramping through our insulation

© Hybrid Home Performance120

Bee, Wasp, Bat & Bird Infestation AvoidancePresentation Objectives: (Did I miss anything?)• Realize the important roll of our little pollen-aters √• Identify hives in the wild √• Recognize a swarm in transition verses an established hive √• Recognize bees scouting verses an established hive √• Precisely locate hives at interior walls ceilings or floors √• How to approach a hive and what to do if attacked √• Realize the potential negative impacts of bees on weather barrier, thermal boundary, pressure boundary, and combustion safety. √• Manage a typical (Huh?) extraction through repair process √• Move through the repair process quickly without sacrificing quality or performance• Avoid the “recall Bee-call” √• Create opportunities for additional work with building perimeter “Bee-sealing” √

© Hybrid Home Performance121

Highly Recommended Movie: The Disappearing Bees

•` Getting the Job Done

Thank You!!!

© Hybrid Home Performance122

Enjoying the Fruits of our Labors

• Life is good

• Stop and smell the honey comb!

Bee, Wasp, Bat & BirdInfestation Avoidance

© Hybrid Home Performance

Certified Proctor