Raccoons are both clever and tough, and due to their remarkable adaptability, they are able to thrive in any number of living situations. Creating an environment to repel raccoons can be a challenge, but there are definitely steps homeowners can take to make their property less appealing. Raccoons are opportunistic, and if your neighbor’s house offers easier access to food and shelter than your house, it may just save you from a lot of grief, money loss, and property damage.
Repair preexisting damage to roof
Areas of your roof or soffits that are damaged, rotted, or have holes will be easier for a raccoon to get through. Raccoons are much stronger than one would think, meaning they can rip through roofing materials with their clawed, human-like hands without much difficulty. Eliminating these obvious access points by reinforcing weakened wood, replacing missing shingles, and repairing holes can help repel raccoons and keep them out of your attic.
Animal-proof your house
Roof vents are rarely protected by more than a bit of flimsy screening, and they’re easy for raccoons to bend to allow them to fit through. ABC Wildlife uses specially designed animal proofing devices that protect roof vents and chimneys from wildlife access. These caps retain proper ventilation while still ensuring raccoons aren’t able to get in.
Secure trash cans
Raccoons are very well known for their love of rifling through trash. They have had to adapt to the development of suburbs in their natural habitat, and the garbage bins we leave out every week are an easy and plentiful source of food for them. You can help repel raccoons from your garbage by placing it in a can, keeping it secured in a frame (so it won’t tip over), and using a bungee cord to fasten the top.
Don’t leave food out
If you have an outdoor party or a picnic on your property, be sure to clean up thoroughly afterwards. Food scraps and garbage left outside are an open invitation for raccoons. Bird feeders are also a problem on many properties and attract more than just birds. They can cause problems with squirrel control as well as lead to a situation where mouse elimination is necessary.
By making just a few adjustments to your home and yard, you can help to repel raccoons from your property. However, if a raccoon has already taken up residence, you need to call a professional animal removal company like ABC Wildlife. Our technicians are licensed to handle raccoon control and apply the safest, most effective techniques to their work. We are skilled not only at removing wildlife from structures, but also in repairing the damage they’ve caused and keeping them from getting back in. We have years of experience in attic clean-up and insulation replacement, and we have the highest quality animal-proofing devices to protect your attic vents and chimney. Call one of our helpful staff members today at (847) 870-7175.
Vito Brancato is a wildlife specialist and educator with over 15 years of animal and pest management experience. He is a certified Wildlife Control Operator through the National Wildlife Control Operators Association and belongs to the National Pest Management Association and the Illinois Pest Control Association. He is an avid beekeeper and nature enthusiast.
