Become Pro-Active Against Wildlife Pests

Spring of 2020 is right around the corner. Many wildlife animals will be bunking down to have babies. Unfortunately, your biggest investment is one of those areas. The key is to ensure your home has no entry areas; therefore, keep your home pest free.

There are entry areas that can be found around your home which enables nuisance pests inside. These areas include rooftops, chimneys, vents and/or gaps within the building itself. Other locations around the building that are considered entry ways are garages, basements, rotted stills or foundations, and old or unused drain pipes.

The rooftop is the most common entry that pests can access the attic. The

holes can be as small as 2 1/2 in for a pest to squeeze through. Squirrels, raccoons and bats like to take over this area because it's secluded and near a food source. Some rooftop entries can have a gap without you knowing it. Those areas are where the shingles meet the fascia board, where the soffit hangs, the chimney flue, and attic vents. Worn soffit or siding: soffits are the weak point of the exterior of your home. They are used to build airflow into the roof or attic; however, animals can chew through wood, aluminum, vinyl or plastic to gain access into your home.

Any weak part of the structure of your home is where raccoons will tear up and chew their way in. They can rip open siding with their strong human like hands. Once inside the can chew through wiring and duct work with their razor sharp teeth. Since there is already an entry area, wildlife animals can use the same entry area to gain access as the other had. Some wildlife animals give off pheromones which draws other pests in.

An example of how a pest’s smell can draw in other pests would be a snake. Snakes love mice, so their smell will draw in these slithering pests. Cracks in the foundation mortar or crawlspace is the main entry areas for snakes to enter. Mice and rats like to enter the building through the pipes and in gaps within the building itself. They can squeeze through holes as small as 1/4 in.

Birds will build their nests right in the corner of your gutters, can build their nests in your chimney or even the vents on the home, and the most popular location is the dryer vent. The heat from the dryer keeps their laid eggs warm; however, the nests are very flammable which can cause a house fire. The droppings from birds are very acidic which can eat away at certain roof materials to cause them to leak. Birds can build their nests in your chimney or even the vents on the home.

Wildlife animals will not ask for your permission to reside in your home with

you. Nor do they care of the damage they can do to your biggest investment. As you can see, being pro-active against these nuisance pests is extremely important. The first step is to contact a wildlife control and removal company. Elite Wildlife Removal has over 12 years’ experience and is licensed in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Our professionally trained and friendly staff will be more than happy to ease your mind by working with you to ensure your home is nuisance pest free. Give us a call at 804-867-7184 or 301-848-5048.