This case will detail the steps taken to remove and exclude raccoons from a home in Brampton.
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.
Known for its diversity, the city of Brampton is home to one of the largest South Asian communities in the country. It is also home to the Peel Art Gallery and the Rose Theater.
Inspection for Raccoon Activity
This customer contacted us after noticing strange noises coming from the attic. They suspected that a raccoon may have breached into the space through a damaged roof vent.
We dispatched one of the trained professional wildlife technicians to perform an inspection and determine the extent of the problem.
During the inspection, our technicians are required to look for any and all possible entry points that the animals may use to access the inside of the home. This includes a ground-level inspection around the property to verify that no damage has occurred to the soffits. During this walk around we also look for any debris that may have fallen from the roof such as shingles and insulation. These will give our technicians clues as to where the activity is taking place.
Once on the roof, we will look for damaged roof vents, plumbing vents, shingles, and soffit intersections. Roof vents are especially susceptible to damage because of their weaker construction- they are usually made of plastic or thin metal.
In this case, our technician did find an extensively damaged roof vent. We recommended to our customer that the best way to remove the animals from the attic would be to install a one-way-door.
Raccoon Exclusion
Because of the large amount of ice and snow present at the time we inspected the house, our technician installed a one-way-door on the inside of the attic. Typically, these doors are installed on top of the roof. They are designed to allow the animals to leave and not be able to re-enter. Once enough time has been given for the raccoons to exit, we will return to remove the door and patch the hole- in this case, replace the damaged vent.
The customer called us not too long after to inform us that the noises were still persistent. At that time, we inspected the attic space for raccoons and noted that there were no signs of any activity but did find evidence of mouse activity. We recommended that if this activity continued, the customer should consider exterminating the mice. We also relocated the one-way-door from the inside of the attic to the outside. This will allow us to leave it in place for a longer period of time and to be removed without having to have the customer at home.
Although we were confident that the raccoon had vacated the property, they agreed that additional steps were required to prevent wildlife from breaching other vents in the future.
We proceeded to install strong and durable PVC-coated steel mesh covers over all eight roof vents. This will ensure that no animal will enter the attic through these vulnerable structures.
Conclusion
Roof and plumbing vents are like magnets to wildlife in the wintertime. They emit heat from within the home and that attracts animals that are looking for shelter from the elements. A warm and cozy attic provides the perfect environment for raccoons to ride out the colder days.
Once inside, these creatures may cause extensive damage. They will chew through wiring, compress the insulation, and make a mess out of the attic in terms of fecal matter. Repairs after extensive raccoon damage to an attic can run into thousands of dollars, so it is important to identify the activity as soon as possible and hire a professional wildlife removal company to vacate the animals and protect the home.
All our exclusion work is backed by a 2-year warranty and if animals cause any damage or remove any of our installations, we will return to repair or replace them.