Raccoons often invade homes, particularly attics and chimneys. In their attempt to make parts of your home a den, they often wreak havoc. Their sharp claws and teeth can tear up roofing shingles and tiles and damage insulation. Their bodily waste can also create a mess that poses hazardous to human health.
The majority of the time, raccoons that invade homes are female. They are usually expectant mothers looking for somewhere safe to give birth. Sometimes they have already given birth and invade your home so they can raise their young in a quiet, warm, suitable shelter.
Because wild animals are protected under certain laws and regulations, there is a certain way to handle the removal process. Your best bet is to contact us to assist you with raccoon removal. We use a humane approach to the removal of wildlife, including raccoons. To ensure the proper removal of raccoons, we use a five-step approach, which includes:
- A thorough inspection used to locate entry points, assess damages, and identify the animal that invades your home
- The removal process, which will involve live capture and release for the most humane approach possible
- Preventative services that help protect your home against future wildlife invaders
- Restoration processes that repair damages caused by wildlife to also protect against re-entry
- Decontamination to ensure that you and your family are safe from the threat of diseases often carried by wildlife
Understanding how each step of the five-step process works can help you understand why it is so important to hire a professional.
Thorough Inspection
The inspection process is where it all starts. Our wildlife technicians will inspect your property carefully for signs of entry. They may climb onto the roof of your home and take pictures of any holes and damages created by raccoons or other wildlife. They use the inspection to spot current problem areas and potential areas that may pose a problem in the future.
You can rest assured that our technicians will inspect your home thoroughly. They inspect the chimney, drip edge of your roof, soffits, bricks and mortar, roof vents, gables, garage doors, and attic area for damages, problems, and contamination. During the process, the technician will identify the species of the animal that is troubling you.
Once completed, the technician will provide a quote combined with a guarantee that protects you from re-entry for a specified period. You will be provided with a quote with specific details regarding the raccoon removal process. If you have any questions, the technician will be happy to answer them for you. You can work out an agreed upon time for the removal and prevention services to take place.
Removal Process
At the scheduled time, the technician will arrive to provide you with removal services. In some cases, the technician will use a one-way door, which allows the animal to exit, but does not allow it to re-enter. A one-way door means the technician does not have to come in direct contact with the animal if there is no need.
Of course, there are situations in which physical contact is a must, such as if there is an animal present with babies. If such cases, the technician will humanely capture the animal and the babies and move them to a safe location.
If the use of a one-way door works, the technician will seal off other entry points by installing caulk or using other security measures. Only one entry point will be left unsealed. The technician will place the one-way door on that entry point. Once the animal exists, it will not be able to re-enter using the one-way door and usually leave to find a new place to hide.
Preventative Measures
Once the animal is removed from your property, we will provide you with preventative measures to prevent re-entry. Sometimes it can take days the animal to leave your property via the one-way door. If you decided to go with trapping we can do it as well and once the aminal caught we will relocate it to a safe location away from your home, usually over a waterbody. Afterward, one of our technicians will re-assess your home to search for damages caused by animal activity.
A team of experts will use their training and skills to install preventative measures that keep wildlife out. While doing so, they will treat your home with the utmost respect. Our technicians treat your home as if it was their own by leaving it as clean as when they arrived. After the capture of the animal, the technician will remove the one-way door and secure the entry point to ensure it is closed.
Restoration Process
Once the animal is gone does not mean our job is done. We do not believe in leaving our customers to fend for themselves in such situations. We work to restore the small damaged parts of your home, but we don’t do roof repairs. If need be, we remove contaminated materials, including insulation. We then re-insulate damaged areas with new or better insulation if your current insulation is not up to code, the price for the attic restoration will be quoted separately if you decide to proceed with restoration services.
Decontamination Process
Finally, we work to decontaminate the area where the animal dwelled. It is important to understand that wild animals often carry diseases that can pose harmful to human and pet health. Therefore, you should always allow a professional to handle decontamination. They can get the job done right without risking exposure to diseases.
A technician will provide you with the details of the decontamination service. Once agreed upon, we will provide you with the service in accordance with regulations and laws. The goal is to ensure that you and your family are safe from the threat of diseases created by wildlife invaders in your home.
If you are interested in finding out more about what we can do or you suspect a wild animal, such as a raccoon, has taken up residence in your home, contact us today. We look forward to assisting you with all of your removal needs.