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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,…

The Ballard Restaurant District hums with extra energy in December: holiday menus, extended hours, and packed dining rooms create a festive atmosphere — and, for many proprietors and public-health officials, a predictable strain on sanitation systems. Seasonal upticks in waste, increased deliveries, and a surge of temporary staff combine with the district’s dense cluster of…

As winter tightens its grip on Queen Anne, many residents notice a familiar but unwelcome change: increased rodent activity around homes. Cooler temperatures and scarcer natural food sources drive mice and rats to seek warmth and dependable calories, and easily accessible pet food—left in bags on porches, stored in basements, or fed outdoors—becomes an irresistible…

In the historic rowhouses and apartment buildings of Capitol Hill, storage closets—whether tucked under stairs, in cool basements, or built into old brick walls—are indispensable. They hold everything from off-season clothing and family archives to vintage books and heirloom linens. But those same cool, damp microclimates that preserve heirlooms can also harbor an uninvited tenant:…

Every year, residents of Broadview tuck away a season’s worth of memories — twinkling lights, heirloom ornaments, beloved wreaths and cozy textile decorations — into attics, basements and closets, trusting they’ll sparkle again next holiday season. But before you box up those treasures, a quick, thorough pest check can mean the difference between finding intact…

Crawlspaces are out-of-sight, often out-of-mind spaces beneath many shoreline homes, but they can quickly become the epicenter of unpleasant and potentially dangerous problems. In coastal and near-shore environments, the mix of moisture, vegetation, and easy access points — think gaps in foundation, vents, or damaged skirting — creates attractive habitat for rodents and other wildlife….