During fall and winter, you need to be watchful of more than snow and ice – you should also be on the lookout for raccoons in your home.
This time of year, raccoons find their natural food sources scarce and the outdoors to frigid. As a result, they may turn toward your home for warmth and something to eat.
In the process, your home may experience damage and an infestation could develop. You and your family are also exposed to a health hazard, as raccoons are known carriers of rabies. If you suspect an infestation, look for the following signs.
1. The Great Outdoors
Raccoons may first become attracted to your home after seeing your garbage and any open containers. An early sign of their presence is noticing open garbage cans with trash strewn about your yard.
However, your garbage isn’t the only hint an infestation may be getting started. Also check your roof for torn shingles and damaged vents. These are common indications a pest might already be inside your property.
2. Inside Your Home
As a raccoon colony develops indoors, your home may display one or more of the following:
- Torn insulation
- Wires with signs of gnawing
- Electrical fires
- A strong odor of bodily waste
- Rustling sounds above the ceiling tiles
- Scratching, chattering or screeching from the walls
Along with these points, raccoons use chimneys, attics and crawl spaces for denning and breeding. As the population grows, one of the baby raccoons may fall from the attic into a wall or get trapped in a duct.
3. Waste and Hair
Raccoons make feces the size of those from a medium dog and tend to leave them in the same spots. As an infestation increases, you may see their waste and hair in various spots inside or outdoors.
Never try to remove the raccoon yourself. These rodents are known to scratch and bite, potentially exposing you too dangerous diseases. Instead, get the professionals at Eliminate ‘Em Pest Control involved. When you see one or more of the above signs, give us a call. We’re available 24/7 and can even arrive at your home same-day!
