This case will look at a raccoon removal and proofing service in Brampton. Because the home is one of the three-row homes, the animals appeared to be moving in from adjacent attics, complicating the removal process. In order to completely eliminate this issue, our technicians strongly recommended that all three properties be protected from wildlife by performing a full raccoon exclusion.
Located just north of Mississauga, Brampton is one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada. With a population of nearly 600,000, Brampton is now the ninth most populated city in Canada.
Raccoon Removal Inspection
When we first heard from this customer, we were informed of wildlife activity in the attic. Noises were being heard during the day which suggested that a raccoon was present.
We dispatched one of our trained wildlife technicians to perform a full inspection of the house to determine the extent of the issue and plan for the removal.
A thorough inspection of the roof revealed that the base mat of a plumbing vent had been chewed through and ripped to create an entrance into the attic.
Plumbing vents are secured to the roof with a plastic or thin metal sheet to prevent water leakage and to stabilize the pipe. This mat is vulnerable to wildlife intrusion due to its weakness. Animals are also attracted to roof vents and plumbing vents because of the heat they emit, especially in the winter days.
Our technician also noted that there was a strong possibility that young raccoons were present in the attic although none were seen on inspection. This can happen when attached houses either share the attic or the soffit space, which allows the animals to move from one house to the next without having to create passageways.
Raccoon Roof Exclusion
We began by installing a one-way door over the hole created through the plumbing vent mat. This plexiglass door will allow any animals inside the attic to exit the property and not be able to return. Once the activity is no longer observed by the homeowner- usually 7-10 days- we will return and remove it. We will then cover the hole with sheet metal and install galvanized steel mesh over it to protect it from further damage.
We also protected all other roof and plumbing vents with PVC-coated steel mesh covers to further secure the attic from intrusive wildlife.
A few days after installing the one-way-door, our customer called to make us aware of persistent noises in the attic that sounded like babies. We returned to inspect and found that raccoon kits were indeed present inside the attic. Because they were scared and hiding in a confined space, our technician decided to create an exit hole under the roof’s soffit and install a baby raccoon one-way-door- similar to the adult raccoon’s but smaller and constructed with a steel mesh door instead of plexiglass.
After a few days of no activity, we returned to remove both doors and patch the holes.
Follow-up
Several months later the homeowner contacted us again with the same concerns- that raccoons had once again breached into their attic and could potentially have babies inside as well.
Because all of our exclusion work is guaranteed for two years, we returned to inspect and determine if any of our installations had been damaged or removed.
Our technician did not find any damage to our installations but determined that a mother raccoon and three babies were present in the attic.
Again, our suspicion was that the entry point was on a neighbouring house and the raccoons had made their way to our customer’s attic through the soffit structure. Unable to reach the babies again, we decided to come back the following day to retrieve them. Because no entry point was found on the customer’s roof, we created one by removing a roof vent. We left the hole open in case the mother was not in any of the attics at the time were there. If the mother were not present and we left the babies trapped inside, she could potentially cause further damage to the roof in a desperate attempt to reach the babies.
We returned the following day to find the mother and the kits inside the attic. After much time and patience, we were able to remove the kits and place them in an insulated box. This box was left on the property nearby to allow the mother to retrieve them and hopefully move on to a new den to raise them.
Once the babies were removed, we placed a one-way-door over the open roof vent to allow the mom to exit the attic.
These persistent raccoons continued to try and breach into the attic, causing further damage to the soffits.
A few days later, the customer noticed that there was severe damage to the soffits in front of the house although no more noises were heard in the attic. We returned and secured the damaged areas with galvanized steel mesh.
Conclusion
Raccoons and wildlife, in general, can be very persistent, especially during the breeding season. The animals need to find a warm and secure place to birth the babies and raise them. Once they decide to make a den in an attic, they will do their best to raise their kits in that space. Vacating them from your house occasionally takes a larger effort as was the case at this property.
Our team is highly trained in dealing with stubborn raccoons that may take longer to leave a property. Patience and persistence are sometimes required by our team and the customer in order for a successful outcome. But we are always confident that the animals will come out and stay out. That is why we back all of our exclusion work with a 2-year warranty. Should the animals return and damage or remove any of our installations, we will also return to repair or replace the work done.