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Every winter, as wreaths, boxes of ornaments, artificial trees and carefully wrapped gifts disappear into storage, a quiet — and costly — problem can begin to unfold in garages across Crown Hill. Garages that were benign catch-alls during the warmer months become an attractive refuge for rats when temperatures drop and food becomes scarcer. For…

In the tree‑lined neighborhood of Phinney Ridge, rain gutters are more than a channel for runoff — they’re a quiet winter refuge for a surprising variety of pests. The Pacific Northwest’s cool, wet winters and the area’s mature maples and evergreens create the perfect conditions for leaves and organic debris to accumulate in gutters, producing…

When windstorms sweep across the Magnolia Waterfront, they do more than scatter leaves and toss patio umbrellas into the water — they set off a chain reaction that often ends with rodents seeking refuge inside homes and businesses. The combination of high winds, driving rain, and tidal surges alters the landscape rodents depend on: burrows…

Wallingford Craft Beer Cellars: Winter Pest Pressure examines a counterintuitive but persistent seasonal problem for breweries and cellar operations: although temperatures drop outside, pest pressure inside protected, food-rich environments often rises. Craft beer cellars — with their cool, dark, humid conditions, bulk stores of grain and adjuncts, stacks of cardboard boxes and pallets, and frequent…

In many older, tree-lined neighborhoods like Laurelhurst, the spaces inside our walls—those narrow, neglected cavities between studs, behind baseboards, between siding and sheathing, and within attic eaves—serve as hidden highways for rodents. These “wall voids” are attractive because they offer protected, temperature-moderated routes that connect outdoor cover (landscaping, trees, fence lines) to warm indoor nesting…

Winter is the season for family, friends, and overnight guests — and for the extra strain those visitors can put on your home. In Fremont, where a mix of single-family homes, apartments and multiunit buildings sits close to transit and travel corridors, the arrival of holiday visitors can also increase the risk of unintentionally bringing…

As the last of the holiday lights come down and boxes of ornaments, wreaths and artificial trees are shuffled back into attics across the Mount Baker area, many homeowners assume the hard part is over. But for houses tucked into the slopes and older neighborhoods of Mount Baker — where cool, damp winters drive wildlife…

Rainier Beach sits on the wetter, milder side of the Puget Sound basin, and its winters bring steady rain, cool temperatures, and persistent dampness that can turn basements and crawl spaces into microclimates very different from the drier, colder picture many people imagine for “winter.” For homeowners and renters in this Seattle neighborhood, basement humidity…

In Greenwood, where older homes sit side-by-side with newer construction and yards are often shaded by mature trees, fireplaces remain a cherished feature for comfort and curb appeal. But they also offer an inviting entry point for rodents and small wildlife seeking warmth, shelter, or nesting material. Preventing animals from entering your chimney and hearth…

The holidays bring a welcome uptick in visitors, short-term stays and package deliveries—and with them, a higher risk of bed bug introductions into rental housing. West Seattle’s mix of multi-unit buildings, older single-family homes, and short-term vacation rentals makes it especially important for both landlords and tenants to be proactive. Bed bugs hitchhike on clothing,…