Secure house, keep critters out

Q. We hear what we believe are squirrels pouncing on our roof and fear that they may get into our home. Any suggestions on how we might keep them out?

A. This is the time of year when little wild critters who didn't head south for the winter are looking for shelter -- and your house will do just fine, if you let them in. You can stop uninvited little guests from joining the family by checking traditional hideouts like the attic, crawl space or garage for points of entry. Loose soffits or trim allow birds and squirrels to enter. Open roof and foundation vents should also be checked and screened. Chimney caps are another good idea as chimneys attract raccoons. Check all interior attic and crawl spaces during the day, without lights. If outside light comes in, so might the critters.

Q. I work in a community building where we recently had new fluorescent fixtures installed in the ceiling. They are the new electronic ballast type, and now we're having problems with interference noise when using radios. The engineers at the manufacturing company have given us tips that we used that haven't helped, like plugging the radios into different outlets. Our electrician can't find any additional problems. What can we do?

A. The fluorescent lighting is creating a magnetic field that can break down radio waves. A common problem with this is a loose wire in a circuit that is arcing and causing additional interference, but since your electrician has already checked this it shouldn't be a problem. Unfortunately, there is not much to be done as the new electronic ballast fluorescents simply cause more interference than the old mechanical type. Try using an AM antenna on your radios to help strengthen the signal.