Today’s case will detail the removal of a raccoon from an attic in Mississauga. We will examine the processes taken by our technicians to best deal with a raccoon intrusion in an attic.
As part of the Greater Toronto Area, Mississauga has grown exponentially over the past decades. An even mix of residential, commercial, and industrial, Mississauga has become one of the more prominent urban areas in the country.
It is not only the home to Toronto Pearson International Airport, but also to many of the largest corporations in the world.
There are two river valleys that run through Mississauga, the Credit River and Etobicoke Creek. These intensely forested waterways attract various kinds of wildlife, as well as hikers and cyclists.
Raccoon Inspection
This Mississauga homeowner contacted us with concerns that raccoons may have breached into their attic. We were told that noises frequently came from the attic area.
A noise in the attic is usually the first indicator that someone may have wildlife living in the attic space. The noises heard primarily come from scratching or walking, although you may also hear vocalizations and food, such as nuts, rolling around. Although animals can be active in the attic at any time, squirrels tend to be more active during the mornings and evenings while raccoons will be noisier during nighttime. If chattering is clearly heard, there may be a nest with kits present.
Our team was dispatched to the home to perform a thorough inspection of the property. During our inspection, our trained wildlife technicians will look for clues that will point to potential entry points. On the ground, if roof debris is found it may point to damage directly above. Roof soffits, the underpart of the roof’s edge, are particularly vulnerable to raccoons.
Once the ground level inspection is complete, our technician will safely climb onto the roof in search of any damage. We focus on the usual areas of concern such as soffit intersections, roof vents, plumbing vents, and the roof’s drip edge.
At this home, the technician identified one roof vent as the point of entry. There was damage visible on the side of the vent cover, and once the cover was removed, the interior structure had been destroyed. This allowed easy access to the attic space for any wildlife.
Roof vents are often found to be the entry point for wildlife into attics. They are mostly made of plastic or weak metal. In the winter months, these vents emit heat which attracts wildlife. In hopes of finding a warm hiding place, animals will attempt entry through these weaker structures.
Having identified the entry point, our technician proceeded to do a visual inspection of the inside of the attic. This inspection is done primarily to ensure that no babies are found in a nest. If babies are present, they will need to be removed and placed nearby the property for the mother to gather and move to their next den. There were no raccoon kits found in this home.
One-way Door Installation and Exclusion
The exclusion work consists of securing all entry points, if more than one, and installing a one-way door to allow the animals to exit the property in a safe and humane way. At this home, we removed the plastic vent cover and placed the one-way door over the opening. These specially designed doors are designed to allow the animals to move out of the house and not be able to re-enter.
These doors are left in place for several days, giving the animals enough time to vacate. We will then return and remove the door. The hole will be covered by the vent and we then place a PVC-coated galvanized steel mesh cover on top to prevent any further breaching through the vent.
As an added precaution, we installed the same mesh covers over all the roof vents and also protected two plumbing vents. Additionally, we protected six soffit vents with galvanized steel mesh.
Conclusion
It is imperative that a professional wildlife removal company be contacted immediately as soon as you hear unknown noises in your attic or in your walls. Wild animals are notorious for causing damage to anything from electrical wiring to insulation once they break into the space. This damage may be in the thousands of dollars. The only way to prevent that is to remove the animals as quickly as possible.
This Mississauga homeowner was quick to act and fortunately, the damage was minimal. Once we were comfortable that the animals had left the property, we ensured that all other potential points of entry were secure.
All our exclusion work is backed by a 2-year warranty. If any of our mesh covers are damaged or removed by wild animals, we will return to repair or replace them as per our contractual agreement.