The Best Guide on How to Get Rid of Racoons in your Attic or Home
Many people will be aware they have a raccoon (or maybe a family of raccoons!) in their attic once they start hearing loud scratching or scampering noises upstairs. Reading this post will teach you how to get rid of these animals without harming yourself or them in the process.
Impossible? Not at all. From the vast variety of creatures that may find a home inside your attic, raccoons are most certainly one of them, especially in winter.
You will immediately be able to know if have animals in your attic by the noise alone. Raccoons are fairly large creatures; therefore, their movement will sound more like thumps than rather than the scurrying that is associated with smaller creatures. Getting rid of them quietly is no easy task.
This is a similar to having an attic full of squirrels. That is why it is important to know how to get rid of them safely right away.
Most importantly, if you hear inexplicable noises at night, chances are you have a raccoon infestation, as they are night creatures. They will leave their hiding space at around dusk to scavenge for food, and return some time later once their hunt is over.
Additionally, raccoons have voices that want to be “heard” and they will let out a range of cries, growls, and chirps.
How Do Raccoons Get Into your Attic or Home?
Raccoons are strong little animals with nimble hands designed for exceptional climbing. If they choose to enter your home, you better believe they will find a way to get. In general, raccoons tend to choose their attic homes to be located as close as possible to their normal habitat. Of course, should a find a very easy way to gain entry, they are more than happy to use that way of entry.
If the structure of your house or attic has open holes, however small they may seem, it means a raccoon’s work of making its way inside is much easier. The appearance of near-by trees will also allow for a raccoon to climb its way to the top in order to enter wherever it finds an opening. But don’t think they can only climb trees. Raccoons are more than capable of climbing up brick walls or smooth wood surfaces.
Having said the above, raccoons will more often than not gain entry to your attic by means of the roof, especially through dormers or where sections of wood have been overlapped. When homes are built, roofs are only constructed with the idea of keeping WATER out; not furry little creatures. Raccoons are so strong that they are able to rip and claw their way through wooden roofing and shingles in order to find their way into your attic. So if you want to avoid further damage to your home, you should learn how to get rid of them yourself. And we can help you with that!
What Damage Can Raccoon Do and Do They Pose Any Danger?
Its wise to learn about the dangers that raccoons pose to yourself or your family before trying to deal with your raccoon problem.
Once inside your attic, raccoons will shred wall paper or pieces of roofing to build nests for themselves. This shredding does not exclude the insulation found around pipes and vent ducts. Such is the case with some people, raccoons can be the worst kind of vandals inside your attic. They chew, scratch, claw, rip, and tear – sometimes to the extent that they may fall right through the ceiling and into your home!
Contrary to common belief, raccoons DO chew through electrical wire which may cause house fires; therefore, posing a serious danger to you and your family. Also bear in mind: Should you have a raccoon in your attic and you choose to ignore the problem, chances are the raccoon may also die and decay in your attic, and that is smell any home can certainly do without. Apart from this, raccoons will leave their droppings and urine trail just about everywhere, which could host diseases such as raccoon roundworm. If the problem is not dealt with in an effective manner, your family could be exposed to serious health risks.
What is the Best Way to Get Rid of Raccoons in your Attic or Home?
The first thing you have to determine is whether you are dealing with one raccoon or a family of raccoons. When a whole family is present, it is best to remove the babies first, and then trap the mother.
Once the raccoons have been removed, you have to search for all possible openings through which they could have gained entry, and then seal off effectively. The last step will be to have your attic cleared up from all the waste left by raccoons, which is not an easy task. If you are tackling this task head on, read our top 10 DIY pest control tips for helpful information. (although please note, DIY raccoon trapping is not recommended as they can be aggressive animals).
As soon as you realize you have raccoons in your attic, it is best to call in the services of professionals such as wildlife experts who are trained to handle these types of creatures. They will have the necessary equipment needed to trap the creatures, also known as raccoon traps, which may include body grip traps, paw hold traps and live cage traps. Of course, all caution will be taken to capture the animal in the most humane manner possible and to release it back into nature. The professionals will also double check that all possible entry holes have been sealed up, because prevention is better than the cure, right?
Once all the creatures have been safely removed, it is best advised to call in a professional service to clear your attic of all traces of raccoon waste in an effective manner. Against future occurrence, learn to understand how pest sounds. This will help you get rid of them early enough before they breed.
If you suspect its not racoons that are in your attic, click here (www.atticpestauthority.com)to find out about other common attic pests and how to deal with them.