Like humans, raccoons are attracted to three things: food, shelter, and water. And your home provides them access to all of these items. Movies and television have always portrayed raccoons as cunning and smart creatures. They’re also famous for being sneaky and quirky. But those masked-like creatures will no longer look cute the moment you see them wreaking havoc in your attic.
Raccoons aren’t out to destroy your home. Instead, they’re only looking for a place to stay where they can feel safe. But leaving them unattended inside your home can cause several damages, especially to your roofs. That’s why homeowners would often call roofing companies in Salt Lake City, Utah and other states to help them address the damage. But how do you know if you already have these masked-like creatures inside your home?
Signs you have a raccoon problem
There are several signs that you need to keep an eye out to know if you have raccoons living in your home. Home experts say that you’ll see most of the damages right inside your attic. So, try to look for any chewed or broken fascia boards and even torn soffits under the eaves. You should also check if there is any roof shingle torn away near the vents.
Meanwhile, check for any dropping in the central location of your roof. You can usually find it inside the attic and is commonly known as a raccoon latrine. Look for any flattened insulation or flexible ducts that looked chewed or ripped apart. Leaving it unattended can cause insulation problems and can even create a fire if there’s damaged wiring.
How to keep raccoons at bay
Several remedies claim to ward off raccoons. However, most of these methods often fail. That’s because they fail to fix the root cause behind raccoon’s attraction, which is food. To address the issue, pest control companies recommend preventing them from getting cozy in your property. One way to do so is by keeping them away from any source of food.
You can install baffles on your bird feeder poles to prevent them from trying to climb up. Setting up motion-activated sprinkler surrounding your vegetable gardens can also help keep them away. You should also keep your trashcan lids secured using bungee cords.
Don’t leave your pet’s food or water down when no one’s at home. Meanwhile, keep your pet food storage in your garage or in a shed, so you won’t attract any raccoons inside your house. Ensure that it’s tightly sealed, so raccoons won’t gain access to it. You should also keep the woodpiles tack in sheds. Seal them carefully to prevent raccoons from using them as dens.
Raccoons certainly look charming, but they can be very aggressive when people approach them. So, if you suspect a raccoon living inside your house, it’s best to call animal control to help you out. Never try to do it on your own to prevent any accident. You can call some roof experts to fix the damages that these creatures did in your roof afterward.
