Q: I own a rental home where the storage shed in the yard is completely filled up with my stuff. Now Iβve found out that there are a couple of pack rats living in the shed. I donβt want to set traps because I am not on the property often enough to monitor the traps. But if I clear out all the junk, how can I then keep the pack rats from coming back?
A:Β You can install a strobe light that will go on and off when the pack rats enter the shed. That might work. You can also install plug-in soundwave devices β the kind that some people use to keep rats and mice out of summer cabins. Another possibility is using hot pepper wax β a good animal repellent. In fact, you might use a few different methods at once β the smell plus the lights and the soundwave. But be advised that you must keep replacing the hot pepper smell, and you have to monitor the lights and soundwaves to ensure that they donβt break down.
For more do-it-yourself tips, go to rosieonthehouse.com. An Arizona home building and remodeling industry expert for 25 years, Rosie Romero is the host of the syndicated Saturday morning Rosie on the House radio program, heard locally from 8-11 a.m. on KNST-AM (790) in Tucson and KGVY-AM (1080) and -FM (100.7) in Green Valley. Call 888-767-4348.
