RACCOONS IN THE ATTIC

Raccoons may be adorable creatures from a distance, they are not animals you want inside your home or attic. They can be very aggressive and mischievous and they are deceptively strong.  Most of their activity is done at night as they are nocturnal, which makes it hard for humans to see them causing problems. However, there are a few tell tale signs of raccoon activity in your attic.  If you are seeing stains on your drywall or ceilings, damage on the exterior of your home or hearing what sounds like someone walking on your roof you may have raccoons in your attic.  Like most living creatures, they are looking for food, shelter and safety. Your home offers all of those things.  Neighborhoods in Murphy and Cherokee County are very attractive to raccoons because there are plenty of trash cans filled with leftovers, pet food left outside or in the garage and nice dry attics to live in.  Do not attempt to confront one yourself.  Call us to handle the situation. These animals will respond very aggressively and can be dangerous.  

RACCOON DAMAGE

 If you have raccoons in your attic, you have damage in your attic.  The only question is how much damage. Insulation, duct work, wiring and drywall can all be in need of repair or replacement after the pests are removed from the attic.  This damage gets worse based on the number of them or if a mother has given birth in the space.  Insulation is flattened by them.  They also produce waste and the insulation can become saturated with urine and feces contaminating it making replacement the only option. Ductwork can be destroyed by their little hands. Open duct lines can be contaminated by the urine and feces and circulate throughout your home HVAC.  Breathing the bacteria could be harmful to your family and the HVAC system can be costly to fix. Electrical wiring is also a concern.  Wiring is often run in very small areas of the attic that these animals like to snuggle into pulling on the wires.  They may even chew the wiring which can result in a fire hazard.  Drywall can be damaged by droppings or they can scratch or chew through it. That is only the interior of the attic, we also have to examine the exterior to determine how they got in to begin with.  Exterior damages can include vents, siding, soffits, roof damage and dormers.  Any small opening can be turned into a larger opening by a determined raccoon.  Call us to schedule an inspection if you see any possible raccoon damage. The longer you wait, the worse and more expensive the damage will get. 

REMOVING RACCOONS FROM ATTIC

Our professionals are trained to safely trap and remove these nuisance animals from your attic.  Again, these are aggressive creatures when they feel threatened, you should not attempt this on your own. We will begin by inspecting your home and providing you with the best plan to rid your home of these intruders. We will safely and humanely trap them and we will exclude your home by sealing and repairing all possible entry points. Contaminated areas will be cleaned and all repairs will be expertly done. Call to schedule your inspection now.