Leaf Defier Offers a Simple, Effective and Safe Solution for Bat Removal in Central Texas

MEDIA, PA, January 13, 2011

Affectionately known by many residents as the heart of Texas, the Hill Country is filled with many natural wonders ranging from spectacular landscapes and mountain views to the largest known habitat of Mexican free-tailed bats in the world. Home to more than 30 million of these furry-winged mammals, the Bracken Bat Cave along with several other preserves spread across Central Texas not only serve as perfect breeding grounds, but also excellent launching pads for these tiny creatures looking to expand havens into neighboring communities.

"The region's hot, humid summers and mild winters coupled with the high-arching attics and ceilings found in many of our community's homes and buildings provide the ideal roosting environments for millions of bats on a year-round basis," says Chris Gentry, chief operating officer of Oak Hills Pest Control based in Boerne, Texas. "As a result, these critters pose all sorts of problems to both home and business owners once they've settled indoors. Bat feces carries bacteria and disease in addition to giving off an extremely foul odor. In some instances, we've even investigated occurrences where urine could be seen soaking through interior walls.

"Furthermore, most people do not realize how many bats can roost in the tiniest of areas. We've physically removed hundreds of these creatures from small crawlspaces, which were breached by small crevices no more than a few inches high and wide."

Founded in 1977, Oak Hills Pest Control has served the pest and insect control needs of Hill Country customers for more than three decades. While most local calls were related to termite or insect problems as well as the removal of rodents, opossums and raccoons, bat exclusion has become a primary source of revenue for the 18-person, family-owned business over the past few years.

Subsequently, the company has dedicated itself to dealing with the challenge as humanely as possible. To trap the bats, which are relocated to local preserves, Oak Hills Pest Control hangs large nets outside of roosts to safely capture the creatures and eliminate their ability to return into enclosures once they leave. However, the next step in the process is far more labor intensive and previously included filling all voids and entry points with a combination of expandable foam, chicken wire and mortar.

"The work is extremely messy in nature, but had to be completed absolutely meticulously since many of our customers own million dollar homes in some of the county's most luxurious areas," explains Gentry, who is also a recognized Associate Certified Entomologist. "Consequently, we spent most of our time on the job placing aesthetically-pleasing patches on holes in siding and stucco, which are oftentimes located in the most unreachable of spots."

That was until Gentry learned about the benefits of the Leaf Defier gutter protection system while attending a building exposition in Orlando, Florida. Formerly distributed solely as a stormwater management tool, Leaf Defier was recently proven through scientific studies to change the conducive conditions away from pests and insects and toward home, building and facility owners.

Designed with high-performance urethane polymers, Leaf Defier is easily inserted into gutters to ensure leaves, twigs, acorns, pine needles and other possible obstructions are kept from clogging gutter systems. As a result, water flows readily through the foam filter insert and insects such as mosquitoes and carpenter ants are denied prime breeding grounds in stagnant water, while critters and other pests are forced to look for food sources in different locations.

"The more I learned about Leaf Defier, the more I became impressed with the many ways it could support our business and pest control efforts," adds Gentry. "We had been searching for one product that would allow us to quickly and simply cover the holes in which bats enter homes and other structures.

"Since Leaf Defier is so flexible, it can be readily shaped to fill voids in a matter of seconds. In addition, it is much easier to carry up tall ladders as well as to install with just a pair of scissors and a caulk gun. As a result, jobs that used to take about five hours to complete, now only take about one-and-a-half."

According to Gentry, the use of Leaf Defier from FXI Building Products has been so successful that it has been used on approximately 100 bat exclusion projects over the past few years. "This product has increased our profits by 150 percent. Instead of running to the hardware store to buy supplies for every single job, we now only need Leaf Defier and a few basic tools. Plus, it's so clean and easy to use, we have virtually eliminated call backs."

For more information on Leaf Defier family of gutter protection products and their ongoing use by home owners and facility managers in mosquito vector control please call toll free at 866-795-4770, email tcroll@fxi.com or visit http://www.fxi.com

Additional information on Oak Hills Pest Control can also be found at http://www.oakhillspestcontrol.com or received by calling 830-249-3575.

About FXI Building Products Corporation
Headquartered in Media, PA, FXI Building Products Corporation, is an industry leader in the manufacture of gutter protection systems including Safe Flow Wave, Leaf Defier and Leaf Defier XL. Since its inception, the company has dedicated its efforts to supplying the best products available to the industry. This includes the ongoing expansion of the Leaf Defier family of products and the company's unwavering commitment to meeting customer needs with dedicated service, innovative products that meet technical specifications and expedient order turnaround times and deliveries. For more information, please call 866-795-4770 ext 10, email tcroll@fxi.com or visit http://www.fxi.com