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Can i caulk this?
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TTBooooda
Jul 29, 08 8:39
Post #1 of 20 (308 views)
Can i caulk this?
Can't Post
See red circles for area i need to fill in. The wasps are getting behind the flashing on my house. They're using the V shaped channels on the soffits to get in. Can i caulk these V shaped areas that meet the house and the flashing side? Or any other ideas?
Thanks,
Scott
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MattinSF
Jul 29, 08 8:42
Post #2 of 20 (304 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [TTBooooda]
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the gap is too big, caulking will be a real mess. Try a can of that expanding foam...but make sure that you dont need the gaps to vent your attic.
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HOPE is a plan that worked. CHANGE is a plan that worked. BELIEVE is a plan that worked.
TTBooooda
Jul 29, 08 8:47
Post #3 of 20 (294 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [MattinSF]
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The venting is accomplished by the 3/4" slots in the soffit, so i'm covered with air flow. Water shouldn't be in there, so i shouldn't have to worry about that.
I agree, caulking may not work well up there. Expanding foam i'd like to stay away from for a few reasons 1) it absorbs moisture 2) it's yellow/off white. With my entire perimeter surrounded by this type of overhang, i'd rather not make it look worse.
Heck, if i did caulk it, it would be about 50 tubes......
Thanks
Scott
ajfranke
Jul 29, 08 8:56
Post #4 of 20 (289 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [TTBooooda]
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The slits provide the venting, not the channels. These are probably coupled with a ridge vent or some gable vents in you attic to allow an airflow.
I haven't seen this problem before. If it were me, I would poke around up in your attic to figure out why that area is not closed off. I haven't fussed with this kind of soffit vent enough to know, but I would guess it should be meeting flush against something in the attic to seal it off. Hopefully this was just messed up in construction in a few places that you should be able to fix by plugging any old way, hopefully by way of the attic, not from outside.
Caulk or expanding foam from the outside would likely make a big mess. You might want to wait for the first cold weather to neutralize your house guests.
____
This forum is going to be a place of civil discourse, and those who wish to foment hate and discord are no longer welcome here. -- slowman 11/8/04
Art Franke
MattinSF
Jul 29, 08 8:59
Post #5 of 20 (284 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [TTBooooda]
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If you stick the nozzle far enough back in there and give it a small squirt you may be able to seal the hole without the foam expanding out over the lip.
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HOPE is a plan that worked. CHANGE is a plan that worked. BELIEVE is a plan that worked.
rick_pcfl
Jul 29, 08 9:08
Post #6 of 20 (272 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [TTBooooda]
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Caulking or expanding foam could cause problems if you needed to maintain it (though it looks like it isn't necessary). Consider another solution.
How about an insecticide or something? A guy I used to hunt with had problems with wasps getting into his shooting houses and he bought a spray that worked for several months. I don't know that it killed the wasps as much as it repelled them as they got near it. I think the spray was this one
http://www.bengal.com/wasp.htm
But you could probably buy something at Home Depot or do it yourself pest stores that would work. Since it isn't getting rained on, it wouldn't be washed away.
damn lucky
Jul 29, 08 9:40
Post #7 of 20 (252 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [TTBooooda]
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It looks like you could just shove one of those styrofoam peanuts in each little space.
Desoto Triple T - done
Roth - done
Silverman - and DONE!
TTBooooda
Jul 29, 08 9:42
Post #8 of 20 (250 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [damn lucky]
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Good idea. Never thought about that. Plenty of peanuts at work......
Thanks!!!
slowbern
Jul 29, 08 10:48
Post #9 of 20 (224 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [TTBooooda]
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ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!
Vinyl siding and vinyl soffit has to be able to expand and contract with the temperature. You would be amazed at how much size fluctuation there is with the seasons.
Bernie
_______________
There, Sphere, are you happy?
TTBooooda
Jul 29, 08 10:51
Post #10 of 20 (222 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [slowbern]
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Siding is vinyl. Soffits and flashing are aluminum
still "no caulk for you!"??
rick_pcfl
Jul 29, 08 11:37
Post #11 of 20 (202 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [TTBooooda]
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If they caught us taking peanuts from where I work - they'd fire us for embezzlement. Cause that's what they use to pay us. :)
Monk
Jul 29, 08 13:08
Post #12 of 20 (177 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [MattinSF]
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In Reply To
the gap is too big, caulking will be a real mess. Try a can of that expanding foam...but make sure that you dont need the gaps to vent your attic.
...or carry off water.
Hid
Jul 29, 08 13:18
Post #13 of 20 (173 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [TTBooooda]
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Have you considered bringing out a bee keeper to trap them? Once they aren't in your house they will reorganize to someplace else.
I would try Siloflex.
"it's like information without the facts." - Mr. Tibbs
"it's not posted to a triathlon forum, but to a lifestyle forum that happens to be inhabited by triathletes. all kinds of stuff gets posted here, and i'm grateful that it does. - Dan Empfield aka Slowman
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...0what%20to%20;#65849
TTBooooda
Jul 29, 08 13:26
Post #14 of 20 (165 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [Hid]
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They're not bees, they're paper wasps. Every year they've become an increasing problem. My 4 yr old son was stung twice last saturday, so they're also semi aggressive.
All the nests i can shoot with wasp killer i do. With these guys hiding in the soffits, they're impossible to get to with out messing up the soffits. If i can get them to stay out of the soffits, they'll make nest in less secure areas, easier to snuff out.
I know they provide some bug relief, but they're more a pest.
Take care,
Scott
paul k
Jul 29, 08 13:45
Post #15 of 20 (159 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [TTBooooda]
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Scott,
I'd go with the caulk. It won't hurt anything structurally. The vented soffit panels sit on the wall angle and the bent edge on the fasia piece in your picture. There are probably some rivits here and there to hold the panels down. I think I see one in the picture. The soffit panels are perpendicular to the house and pretty short so thermal expansion shouldn't be a problem even if the caulk does stick for a while. Those channels are only holding up the soffit panels, they are not for draining of any kind.
Once into the soffit the wasps have a easy shot into the attic. In Michigan blocking isn't used between the rafters so the bays are open. You don't want those things setting up shop in your attic.
Good luck.
Paul
jtaylor1O24
Jul 29, 08 14:00
Post #16 of 20 (156 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [TTBooooda]
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Doesn't that channel just butt against the end trim there?
----
Don't hold back
JT
Reduce your carbon footprint - burn less stuff,
http://www.carbonfund.org
Don't complain, just work harder. - Randy Pausch
Monk
Jul 29, 08 18:36
Post #17 of 20 (119 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [TTBooooda]
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They're not bees, they're paper wasps. Every year they've become an increasing problem.
Slowman got a shotgun.
DavHamm
Jul 29, 08 20:23
Post #18 of 20 (99 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [TTBooooda]
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Hang one of these at each corner of the eave.
http://www.waspinator.com
_________
Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Willrace4food
Jul 29, 08 23:12
Post #19 of 20 (88 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [DavHamm]
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Saturday Night Live had a great segment on 'Home Improvement' and they focused on caulk on one of their segments:
I've got the video but don't know how to broadcast it...Youtube doesn't seem to want me to post it
Cast:
Gail.....Rachel Dratch
Mitch.....Chris Parnell
Peter.....Fred Armisen
Tyler.....Jason Lee
[ open on title card ]
[ dissolve to studio set, hosts Mitch and Gail standing behind a work bench with Peter, who's holding a frame ]
Mitch
: Welcome back to "Refurbishments." We want to thank Peter for showing us how to make an old frame look new again.
Gail
: Peter, you really pulled off all the stops on us.
Peter
: Well, I wish we could have finished it. [ exits ]
Mitch
: Well, we do, too.
Gail
: We certainly do. What's up next, Mitch?
Mitch
: Tyler Presley will be showing you how to winterize your homes.
Gail
: Already? It seems like we just did our Summer
wicker
show.
Mitch
: I know, it does! Let's take a walk over to Tylertown, and see what he's got in store.
[ Mitch and Gail approach Tyler further down the set ]
Tyler
: You two ready to winterize?
Mitch
: Absolutely.
Gail
: Now Tyler, what's that you got there?
Tyler
: Oh, this is a caulking gun. It is the most essential tool in keeping the cold out of your home.
Mitch
: I think we're about to have some fun.
Gail
: [ chuckles ] Well, Tyler, walk us through this.
Tyler
: Sure thing. Winter air gets into your home through all sorts of little openings and cracks in your windows and door frames.
Gail
: Hmm.
Tyler
: So what you need to do is take your caulking gun and place a thin bead all along the crack. Like this. [ demonstrates ]
Gail
: Okay. So Tyler, what you're doing - and this is for the audience at home - you're filling that crack up with caulk?
Tyler
: That's right.
Mitch
: Okay. So I put my caulk in the crack, I'm standing there - now what do I do?
Tyler
: Well, that's a common question. Watch. I'm going to use a little bit of pressure and work the caulk into the crack with my index finger. [ demonstrates ]
Gail
: Oh, You make it seem so easy. Wow, any time I'm around caulk it's a recipe for disaster.
Mitch
: It's true. I've known Gail for a long time and she cannot handle caulk. But, me, I love caulk. Always have. It's amazing.
Gail
: So, how do we know when it's hard, the caulk?
Tyler
: Oh, you'll know just by looking at it.
Mitch
: Does blowing on it help?
Tyler
: Can't hurt.
Gail
: You know, Tyler, it looks like you've used too much there.
Mitch
: Oh, you can never have too much caulk.
Mitch
: I agree. When it comes to caulk, I'm like, bring it on.
Gail
: So Tyler, tell me, what do we have over here in this area?
Tyler
: Well, so far we've worked with white caulk, but what if you're working with different color
tiles
like black tiles in a black bathroom?
Mitch
: I'm guessing you're going to use black caulk.
Tyler
: You got it. You see, caulk comes in a variety of different shades.
Mitch
: Now, is black caulk hard to find? Because I have a black bathroom. And I've spent one entire weekend trying to locate some black caulk. I was on the phone, the internet. I was doing everything, short of marching up and down the boulevard, screaming at the top of my lungs: "Does anybody know where I can get my hands on some black caulk?!"
Tyler
: Did you try Home Depot?
Mitch
: I did not.
Gail
: Well, I think I've had my fill of caulk for one day
Mitch
: Thank you, Tyler, for exposing us to the wonders of caulk. When we come back, Gail and I are going to show how how to trim your bush.
[ Mitch and Gail each reach below the
counter
and pull up a pair of bushes in need of trimming, Gail's bush needing a trim much more than Mitch's ]
Gail
: I know mine needs a good trim.
Mitch
: Your bush is
way
out of control. [ to the audience ] We'll be right back.
[ fade ]
SNL Transcripts
>
----------------------------------------
Original member of Litespeed Mafia
"ain't nothin' open after midnight except hospitals and legs" George Wallace
TTBooooda
Jul 30, 08 5:03
Post #20 of 20 (79 views)
Re: Can i caulk this? [jtaylor1O24]
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I thought that as well, and couldn't figure out where they were hiding. I'd kill nest after nest, but in reality i was just knocking down the front porch, and barely touching the estate they were building inside.
It's hard to tell, but from what i've seen, they're slightly bevelled away from the channel/flashing.
thanks,
Scott
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