Fixing Damage Caused by Wild Animals

When wildlife make their home on your property, they often leave behind significant damage you’ll have to deal with. And not only will you need to make these repairs immediately so that your home looks good again, they’ll also ensure that the animals won’t have ways of access back into your home and property. Subsequently, you should take some precautionary approaches after you’re done to keep wildlife clear of your property in the future, thus avoiding further damage and unwanted intrusions.



Common problems associated with wildlife infestations: walls, roofs, and chimney.
Let’s start off with probably the most common wildlife pest we encounter in our homes: rats and mice. While there are plenty of prevention tactics you can employ to make sure your home is not attractive to these critters, once they’re in, you’ll have to deal with them immediately. Let them feel at home and they’ll quickly overrun the place if conditions are favorable for them. Call a professional wildlife removal service to deal with them accordingly, and you’ll be happy to know that they also deal with associated problems, like repairs and proper cleaning.

But if you managed to get rid of the problem or the animals just moved out on their own accord, you need to start working on making sure they won’t come back. And checking your walls is the first thing you need to do. Move furniture around and look for entry holes. Do this both inside and outside of your home, and make sure you check thoroughly. Fix the holes so that you’ll prevent future infestations. After that, be on the lookout for leftover droppings, weird smells or even dead animal carcasses left over. It’s crucial that you remove and properly clean and disinfect the affected areas – regardless of where you find them. Left untouched, these things can spread disease and even attract other pests, never mind the discomfort caused by the smells.

If the problem is in your roof or attic, then you may even need professional help, depending on the severity of the damage. Rodents can and will chew almost anything – from wood, to cables, to insulation material. Power cables and damaged insulation material can lead to fires, so it’s very important that you check your roof or attic for wildlife damage regularly. Repair the cables, replace or maybe consider some additional insulation or protection materials. Wood damage, specifically on wooden beams can lead to structural damage – replacements may be required. If birds or bats have infested your attic, make sure you check for loose, broken or displaced shingles, too. Overlooking them can lead to significant water damage, and consequences for that are anything from structural damage, to increased risks of mildew or mold developing, both of which can cause allergic reactions and negatively impact your health. Again, it’s equally important to properly clean and disinfect the area after the wildlife has been humanely removed, and the damages assessed and repaired. If you have a waste issue in the attic that presents a health risk, you may want Attic Cleanup, Restoration, and Insulation Replacement.

Speaking of birds, another common location affected is your chimney, especially during the warmer seasons when lighting a fire isn’t something you’d normally do. There’s nothing to interfere with a couple of birds nesting there. But the tight space, often out of the way of any interference or contact with humans can make for a great hiding spot for a number of other wildlife as well. Left unattended or often even unnoticed completely, you’re bound to one day start a fire and notice that the whole room is filling with smoke, as the chimney is blocked. In most of these cases, you’ll need a professional chimney sweep service to handle the problem and get everything back in order. However, there are better alternatives, such as prevention. When employing a wildlife removal professional, they’ll be more often than not be made aware of the chimney damage when they’re dealing with the animals there. And in most cases, the professional will either direct you to what needs to be done then and there, or they’ll handle the job themselves, avoiding the unpleasant process of inadvertently fumigating your house.

Surrounding property, front yard, lawn or backyard, garden
If we’re talking about a house, we need to also address the surrounding property damage. Rodents and other pest mammals can cause significant damage to your lawn and, if you have one, your garden. Bigger animals, like possums, can have a considerable impact on your property or on the surroundings your home. Repairs for both of these instances are pretty obvious – fix the entrance ways, replace lawns or grow new ones, fix fences and make sure the wildlife is dispatched accordingly and humanely. But in most cases, the main focus here should be prevention above all else. Wild animals are mostly attracted by free food sources they can find and can easily access with as little effort as possible. And unattended, unsecured and exposed trashcans are basically a gold mine for these critters. As any wildlife removal professional will tell you, you have to address this issue if you want to deter animals from making your home their home again. Otherwise you won’t really solve the problem, you’ll just deal with the consequences.

Secure trashcans and, if possible, keep them somewhere indoors as opposed to out in the open. Even indoors, make sure the lids stay put and are properly secured. Raccoons, for example, are very apt at opening even complex locks (from the animal’s standpoint) like hinges to get to food. Simply closing the door behind you on your way out form the trash bin storage location won’t do – locks are your best option if the problem is reappearing constantly.

All in all, it’s true what they say – an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Not letting your home or property become an attractive spot for wildlife is key in managing such instances and avoiding damages and the incurrent expenses. But with the proper tools and under the right guidance, such as that provided by a professional wildlife removal service, you can go back to your day-to-day life shortly. Just make sure the repairs are properly attended to and that the place is neatly cleaned up so you won’t attract future problems your way. Fixing Damage Caused by Wild Animals