Raccoon Damage in Clearwater
Raccoons can cause a lot of damage to your Clearwater home. These nocturnal animals may be cute but they are not good to have on your property. Gardens, garbage cans, bird feeders and your home itself can be damaged by raccoons. Like most animals, they are looking for food and shelter. They may try to find that food and shelter in your Pineallas County home. Your yard and garbage cans can be damaged when they are looking for a source of food but the inside of your home is where damage can happen when they need shelter. This is especially true when a pregnant female is looking for a place to have her babies. Raccoons want to find a safe quiet place to give birth and raise their babies. In more rural areas they can often find a hollow tree, but in more urban areas your attic is an ideal choice.
Exterior Damages
Raccoons are quite clever and stronger than you might think, especially when they are trying to enter a home. They can tear off shingles leaving your home vulnerable to water damage. They can break fascia boards or soffits particularly if they are older. Often raccoons will even destroy roof ventilation. They can damage fans or roof vents and find a way into your home. These invaders will also take advantage of any unmaintained areas that provide easy access, like broken chimney caps or windows. The bottom line is: if they want to get in, they will find any weak spot they can.
Interior Damages
Your attic is the most desirable place for raccoons. It is dry, dark, and likely left undisturbed for some time. Once inside your home or attic, they will find an area to use as their bathroom. The urine and feces they create is quite the mess to clean up, and the feces can commonly be infested with roundworms. It will saturate your insulation and require proper safety precautions and equipment to clean it up. This will include removal and replacement of any contaminated insulation. They can also damage HVAC ductwork. The possible damages are not exclusive to attics – crawlspaces are also vulnerable to them. If you live in areas that do not have basements and have insulated pipes in a crawlspace under your home, they will chew the pipe insulation. This could cause frozen pipes which can burst and result in expensive repairs. In addition, electrical wiring can be chewed causing fire hazards. You do not want these creatures in your home.
Damages to Gardens and Crops
Raccoons can do damage to your property even if they do not actually enter your home. Many times, homeowners report noises at night. This noise is likely from them attempting to tip over garbage cans or get the lid off to feast on your leftovers. They will also go after birdseed and can damage feeders while trying to get to the seed. They can be aggressive animals when threatened and have been known to go after animals in your backyard, from chickens to koi fish to pets. Make sure they are secure at night if you think you have raccoons on your property.
