The following case study details a baby raccoon removal job in Markham. Raccoons had entered the customer’s attic through a roof vent and made a mess of the attic’s interior. A technician removed the animals safely and carefully. If you’ve been struggling with a raccoon problem and you need help, give Raccoon Control a call.
Markham
A suburb of Toronto, Markham is located just northwest of the province’s capital. Having seen significant development over the past few decades, Markham has become home to the headquarters of many national and international organizations.
Housing development has also increased drastically, particularly along the Hwy. 7 corridor. Many high-rise buildings have popped up along this stretch as well as many shopping complexes.
Northern Markham has become an attractive area for many who work in the city and its neighbourhoods are lined with single-family homes. Many parks and golf courses can be found throughout Markham.
In this case, we talk about the removal of raccoons and the exclusion of a home to prevent raccoons from entering the space.
Inspection
This Markham customer called us to ask if we could help with the removal of a raccoon that had entered their attic through a broken roof vent. The animal had been seen on the roof and noises were being heard in the attic.
Being late March, it is not unusual to get numerous requests for raccoon removal at this time of the year. Raccoons give birth to kits from mid-March to late May and during this time many mother raccoons look for a warm, dark den to raise their babies. Attics, if not secured, are a preferred space for raccoons to create dens.
We dispatched one of our highly trained wildlife technicians to investigate the problem and help the customer with a solution. Our raccoon removal inspection focuses primarily on the roof of the house and any entry points that are obvious. We look for damaged drip edges, removed shingles, and broken roof vents. We found a severely damaged roof vent that had been partially removed which allowed the animals to enter the attic.
Once the primary entry point is identified, our technician will perform a visual attic inspection from within the attic. This is done to determine whether or not there are baby raccoons present in the space. In this case, there were no babies present.
Exclusion
The priority is to patch and secure all entry points into the attic structure. We do so by installing PVC-coated steel mesh covers overall roof and plumbing vents and galvanized steel mesh along with any other visible holes. We also install a one-way door to allow any animals that may be hiding in the attic to exit the property and not be able to return.
At this home, the one-way door was installed over the damaged roof vent and secured with galvanized steel mesh. This installation will stay in place for several days to allow enough time for the animals to leave. We will then return to remove the door and patch the hole.
Four roof vents were also secured with PVC-coated steel mesh covers to prevent further damage.
Because the raccoon had been present for quite some time, the customer also asked us to remove feces and disinfect an area of the attic. We perform our disinfections with a botanical hospital-grade disinfectant that is non-toxic. They will kill 99.99% of fungi, bacteria, and viruses such as the Coronavirus.
Follow-up
Unfortunately for this customer, their resident raccoon returned after a few months only to create another entry into the attic through the roof’s drip edge. Raccoons, being effective dexterous creatures, will sometimes use their hands to lift up the edge of the shingles along the eavestrough and once they make a big enough opening, they will be able to access the attic once again.
We followed the same procedure as previously and installed a one-way door that was left in place for some time. We removed the door and patched the hole once enough time was given for the raccoon to leave.
Conclusion
When our technicians assess a raccoon in the attic issue and identify the main point of entry, they will always recommend to the client that all other potential problem areas be addressed. If raccoons are a persistent presence in a neighbourhood- especially in high numbers- they will attempt entry into the most vulnerable of structures multiple times.
In this case, we addressed the immediate issue at hand and were able to secure all roof vents. But a slightly damaged roof corner was no match for a return visit by this masked bandit.
Our company specializes not only in wildlife removal but also in preventative measures to never have to deal with the removal of animals. All of our exclusion work is guaranteed for 2 years, giving our customers the peace of mind they deserve. If any of our installations are damaged or removed by any wildlife, we will return and repair or replace them.