The following case study details a raccoon removal service and wildlife-proofing in Mississauga. This article will examine the steps taken to identify the severity of the issue and remove the animals from the attic safely.
Mississauga
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.
Inspection
Our Mississauga customer called us after noticing that raccoons had entered their attic after forcing themselves through the roof soffit. They were not sure how long this had been going on but would like us to inspect and get the raccoons out.
We sent one of our wildlife removal technicians to inspect the property and determine what steps needed to be taken to remove the raccoons from the attic.
During our inspection, the technician will walk around the house at ground level and look up at the soffit to identify any entry points. Raccoons, especially, can create different entry points into an attic. They may make entry at one end of the roof, but if they settle at the opposite end, they will create another hole closer to their den space.
Our technician quickly noted a large hole in the soffit close to the wall. Soffit is the material that runs from the roof’s eaves to the wall. It is usually made of aluminum or vinyl but can also be made of wood.
Once the ground-level inspection was completed, the technician climbed on the roof for a closer look at the structure. At this point, we are looking for any compromised roof vents, plumbing vents, or holes that may have been dug through the shingles. In this case, there appeared to be no other entry points.
Exclusion
The exclusion process consists of two steps: removal and sealing. Our technician installs a special one-way-door at the point of entry which allows the raccoon tenants to vacate the attic in a safe and humane way. These doors are designed to prevent re-entry into the structure. We leave them in place for several days and when we remove them, we will seal them with a strong and durable galvanized steel mesh.
The mesh is installed over and beyond the entry point in order to prevent any animals from entering the attic.
At this location, we also inspected the interior of the attic and found large areas of raccoon soiling. We suggested to our client that a thorough disinfection and deodorization would be extremely beneficial as it would not only clean the area and kill any pathogens left by the raccoons, but also eliminate all odours still lingering in the home. Removing odours also prevents other animals from being attracted to the area.
The customer agreed and we removed all fecal matter from the floor of the attic and proceeded to spray the entire spray with a botanical broad spectrum hospital grade disinfectant that is strong enough to kill the Covid-19 virus.
Conclusion
Raccoons are very adaptable creatures and as such, they have become prominent in urban areas as they learned to live with humans. They are quite content feeding on berries, fruits, and plants but finding an accessible garbage bin is like dining at an all-you-can-eat buffet for them.
During the colder days, not only will they eat your leftovers, but they will also feel inclined to move in with you. The warmth and darkness of an attic are perfect conditions to attract these scavengers into the space. Using their dexterous fingers, they are able to push and pull along the sides of soffit material until they make a hole big enough to climb through.
Raccoons are thought to memorize solutions to problems for up to three years. This means that once they learn how to manipulate the material to their advantage, they will use that knowledge for life.
In this case, raccoons were able to push through a section of the soffit and gain access to the attic. Our team was able to vacate the critters and ensure they do not return.
All our exclusion work comes with a 2-year warranty. If the installed structures become damaged or are removed by wildlife, we will return to repair or replace them.