Spring is upon us! Spring in the wildlife world means offspring for most species. Squirrels, raccoons, skunks, birds, and others are looking for safe spaces to raise their young. Attics and crawlspaces are very suitable places for them.
Many times, wildlife will find an existing hole in your home and use it to gain access to the attic. They even make their own hole by chewing or tearing away at the exterior. Once access is gained by the raccoons or squirrels, they don’t leave willingly. In the wildlife’s mind they just found the TajMahal of hollow trees. Attics are warm, dry, and offer protection from their predators. A perfect place to raise a litter of squirrels or raccoons.
Wildlife entry points are not always visible to humans viewing the house from the ground. Finding animal entry points to attics requires searching with a ladder. During an inspection all vents, soffit, and gutter lines should be inspected. It is important to find and close all entry points once the animals are removed.
Nesting birds are also busy during the spring. Most birds do not cause problems, but starlings will nest in dryer vents, bathroom vents, and attics.
Signs that you might have animals in your attic :
- Noises on the ceiling. Squirrels in the attic will be most active in mornings and evenings. Raccoons in the attic will be most active at night.
- Holes in soffit and fascia. Squirrel holes are typically about the size of a baseball, but can be smaller.
- Missing bathroom vents or dryer vents. Standard vent covers made of plastic will eventually break down from sun exposure. They can fall off and leave openings to the house. Once broken down they become brittle and birds will purposely break them.
- Insulation coming out of gutter downspouts, on the ground, or visible on the roof. As the animals enter and exit the attic, insulation sticks to their fur and can leave a noticeable trail.
- Animal tracks can be an indicator depending on where they are found. Raccoons love to climb up gutter downspouts and siding corners. They will often leave signs of muddy footprints where they access the house. They do not need trees to access the roof.
These are just a few of the most obvious signs to watch out for. Occasionally, homes have animal problems they aren’t aware of. Animals in the attic are do not always give indications they are there.
Preventative measures to help mitigate potential animal problems:
- Gutter cleaning. Keeping gutters free and clear of debris can help prevent overflow that rots wood and creates openings.
- Replace rotting wood or missing siding before it’s too late. Check the condition of your home after storms or high winds.
- Don’t feed the wildlife or stray cats. Wildlife have adapted to city living very well and are capable of finding their own food. Leaving food out for animals is basically inviting them to look for a place to stay at your house. Even bird feeders attract unwanted wildlife. The spillage of bird feeders is like a buffet to rodents like squirrels, rats, mice, skunks, opossums, and raccoons.
- Check your bathroom and dryer vents. Plastic dryer vents will last around 5 years before becoming brittle to the touch and easily damaged.
- Tree trimming. Trimming branches away from your house can help. Tree branches can scrape the roof and cause damage and offers animals a route to your roof. However, most animals can climb onto the roof without the help of trees.
Lastly, don’t close an animal entry point without removing the animals first. Closing or fixing an animal entry point is a great way to lock an animal in your attic. An animal locked in the attic will do damage trying to get out or will die in the house. An animal locked out of the attic will also try to get back in. A female squirrel or raccoon locked away from her young will do anything to get back to them.
Hopefully, you don’t end up in a situation where you need to call us. For those of you that do end up with critters in your attic we are happy to help.
Enjoy your spring!