Once critters find a way into your attic, they can be difficult and even dangerous to evict and will destroy your attic space while making a home for themselves. The first indicator of unwanted guests is typically the noise they make. Skittering, scratching, and gnawing from above is a clear sign of rats, mice, or squirrels. A raccoon can actually sound like a person stomping around up there.
Common damages caused by wildlife in your attic can include:
-Beam, duct, and wiring damage from gnawing.
-Insulation and drywall contaminated with feces and urine.
-Wiring and electrical damage leading to outages and even housefires.
-Insect infestation.
-The stench of death and decay, as well as the bacteria of dead animals decomposing in the attic or walls of your home or business.
Wildlife in your attic not only poses the threat of structural damage but can quickly become a bio-hazard as well. Contamination of your heating and cooling system with animal waste can lead to harmful bacteria and fungal spores in the air that you and your family breathe. When insulation becomes saturated, it compresses, leading to significant energy loss.
Bats typically enter through open vents or chimneys in search of shelter and protection, ruining insulation and drywall with their urine and droppings. These droppings can harbor a variety of dangerous diseases like Histoplasmosis. With bats comes the threat of rabies as well, which, though rare, is still a possibility.
Raccoons are likely to be the largest critters you'll find in attics and will make the most substantial mess, as well. These nocturnal pests will tear up anything they can get their nimble little fingers on to use as nesting material for their young. Once she's given birth, the mother will become extremely aggressive and protective of her "den" and will require a wildlife professional to be dealt with.
Squirrels enter homes for shelter/protection from predators. Squirrels (almost all animals) actually thrive because of humans and the by product of our lifestyle (homes, trash cans, etc). Like mice and rats, they have to gnaw on hard substances to maintain their continuously growing incisors. Once inside your attic, squirrels aren't picky about their dental care needs and are just as happy to chew holes everywhere they can. Squirrels dont really carry diseases, but do carry lots of parasites like fleas. And, giving these critters the boot is only the first step!
Once your attic is pest-free, animal access points must be found and blocked, contaminated insulation, drywall, and flooring must be removed, and any additional damages will need to be repaired. Next, the entire attic will need to be disinfected, deodorized, and air-sealed before installing new insulation. We will also add insulation if your home is under insulated.
Taking back your attic can be a dirty, time-consuming, and potentially dangerous job, and it's one that's best left to trained animal control specialists. Professionals, like our experienced technicians at Veteran's Pride Wildlife Control, have both the equipment and training to minimize the dangers associated with wildlife removal. Contact us today.