Raccoons really only want three things: food, water and shelter. Unfortunately for you as a homeowner, your attic may provide some, if not all, of the basic necessities of life for these pesky critters. For reasons why these pests find their way into your attic, continue on.
Reason #1: Nearby Food Sources
As omnivores, raccoons will munch on virtually anything- plant or animal-based foods alike. What you eat, they’ll most likely eat, too. This mainly becomes a problem when you store garbage cans outside. Other food sources that can attract raccoons to your property include accessible bird-feeders, fruit-bearing trees and even mice. To stave off these vexing intruders, make sure to keep your trash inside a secure area, such as a garage, or use cans with locking lids. Maintaining your yard, including removing fallen fruit and carefully monitoring any bird-feeders, can also help.
Reason #2: Accessible Shelter
In nature, raccoons create dens in tree cavities, abandoned burrows and other sheltered environments. When they venture out of their woodland surroundings, raccoons gravitate toward attics, crawl spaces and chimneys, because these places mimic their natural habitat. To keep raccoons from getting inside your attic and nesting, you need to seal off access points. However, if there’s a raccoon already living in your attic, you should seek out rodent removal services first.
Reason #3: Sources of Water
This particular factor can be hard to control- but there are some water-prevention measures you can take to make your property, and therefore your attic, unsuitable for raccoons. The first step is to identify areas on your property where rainwater puddles. Address these issues as needed, such as adding a downspout to redirect water to a spot that dries up quickly, and you may be able to deter raccoons from calling your attic home.
Now that the raccoons are off to find their next shelter, get the proper help to get your attic and home back to normal after a raccoon infestation. Contact the experts at Atticare to learn about our rodent exclusion services and for a free inspection.
