Animalblogandmore’s Blog

Wild animals need to sleep somewhere. Your house is the perfect place!

Most people would take exception to that statement. Yet when I look at some of the ways that animals (such as squirrels and raccoons) gain access to a house, it makes me wonder what people are thinking!

Take a few minutes and follow these steps to help discourage the wild animals in your neighborhood from calling your home “Their Home.”

1. Do you have trees or branches that will allow an animal to climb up and onto your roof? A little creative trimming and cutting will go a long way to prevent a rooftop visitor looking for a warm attic.

2. Each year I remove animals from someone’s attic that got in through a roof vent. Check your roof vents to make sure that the screening on them is intact. If there is one that has loose or missing screening, have it fixed right away.

3. Does your chimney have a cap? Each year I remove birds, squirrels, raccoons, and a few other species that have gotten into a chimney and cannot get out. If an animal dies in there, you will have an odor problem that you do not want! A simple preventative measure is a chimney cap. They are fairly easy to install and inexpensive.

4. When you see a loose shingle, you think “I need to fix that someday.” When a raccoon finds a loose shingle, it thinks “I wonder if the water has softened up the wood enough for me to get in that warm house?!” I have trapped and removed several raccoons from attics that got in by chewing and clawing a hole in the roof where the rain had softened the wood. It’s a quick fix or an expensive repair. Your call!

5. When the trim on the overhang of a house starts to separate, it provides an excellent entryway for squirrels. I have seen raccoons and birds take advantage of that gap as well. The soffit is a great little living area for these animals. At least that’s what they think! When you see a small gap between the trim and your overhang, it’s time to take action. It’s a quick and easy repair that can save you money and eliminate the threat of wild animals that decide to make your home their home!

By following these five easy steps you will be securing your home and perhaps saving yourself some trouble and money.

Jack Ammerman has been a nuisance wildlife control operator for over ten years. He has been featured in articles in the Flint Journal Newspaper and on television news reports in Genesee County Michigan. He owns and operates Advanced Wildlife Removal in Flint Michigan and is an advisor to http://www.Advanced-Wildlife-Control.com in Genesee County Michigan.