How To Get Rid Of A Raccoon Infestation Around Your Katy Home
We’ve all seen those animated movies where the forest animals emerge from behind the trees and befriend the princess. Sometimes they listen to her sing or help her prepare for the ball. Whatever it is they’re doing, they seem pretty friendly.
Think of a cartoon raccoon jauntily running through the forest with a smile on its face and love in its heart. It’s a nice scene to ponder, but the truth is that raccoons are far from adorable. That’s right, while they may appear cute and endearing in the cartoons, there are many dangers that you should be aware of when it comes to raccoons.
Not only can raccoons threaten your property by damaging structural elements of your home, but they also bite and cause widespread infestation. These consequences put you and your loved ones at risk, but the good news is that you’re not in it alone.
Here at Modern Pest Control, we’re proud to service Katy properties with comprehensive coverage against a raccoon infestation. From single invaders to families of raccoons, we’re ready to deal with whatever raccoon problem you bring us. Before we get into that, however, we’re here to tell you all about these wildlife pests and how professional pest control in Katy is the best way to protect your home from the dangers of a raccoon infestation.
Raccoons are mid-sized mammals with round bodies and long bushy tails. They’re most well-known for their distinguishable black mask of fur covering the area around their eyes. Raccoons have fuzzy, rounded bodies and are usually around the size of a small dog. They come onto our properties in search of food and shelter.
Regarding household raccoon infestation, you should know that raccoons are excellent climbers. They can enter Katy homes in all kinds of ways, and they often climb through vents, chimneys, windows, and any openings or entry points that they can squeeze through. Once they get inside, they get into your food sources and make a mess of your trash and kitchen. They also contaminate the space and cause property damage, posing a huge risk to your safety and the well-being of those around you.
Signs Of A Raccoon Activity Around Your Home
You can be on the lookout for certain signs of raccoon activity if you’re wondering how to tell whether there are raccoons hanging around your home. Here are some of the most common indications of raccoons around your residence:
Indications of eating through drywall and plasterboards
Potential points of entry made around shingles and shutters to access the structure
Signs of chewing on beams and rafters that support your house
Signs of tearing and ripping around your roof, structure, and insulation
Strange noises coming from the roof or hearing scampering sounds in the attic
The presence of loose and dry nesting materials strewn throughout your home
Trash strewn about your yard as raccoons rummage through your garbage
If you detect any of these signs and suspect raccoon activity on your property, we highly recommend getting in touch with the pest professionals as soon as possible. The fact is that raccoon infestation can pose a real threat to Katy properties, and as a local homeowner, it’s important to understand the potential consequences of these wildlife invaders.
Squeaking or scratching noises coming from the walls or attic, rustling sounds from under your home or deck, gnaw marks on electrical wiring or walls, and small feces droppings or odorous urine stains can all indicate a problem.
Why Raccoons Hanging Around Your Home Can Be Problematic
As previously discussed, raccoons can be extremely destructive wildlife pests, and you should address having these pests hanging around your property. Why? Well, raccoon activity poses a number of threats, including varying levels of property damage and adverse health reactions. Here are some of the major dangers that come with raccoon activity:
Raccoons are common carriers of rabies, roundworm, ringworm, leptospirosis, and other bacterial infections that they can transmit to humans and pets (In fact, raccoons are the primary vector for spreading rabies in the U.S.)
Raccoons drop their feces and urinate everywhere to mark their territory, and raccoon waste, in particular, is considered to be hazardous waste.
Raccoons bite when they feel threatened or cornered, and they can easily inflict wounds on you, your loved ones, and domestic pets like cats and dogs, usually at night.
Raccoons get into your food, causing a mess and potential damage. They also rummage through the garbage and spread it around your yard.
Raccoons carry fleas and ticks on them, exposing you to other infestations, and they also carry harmful bacteria on their fur and spread it around after hanging in the trash.
Raccoons cause property damage to all kinds of structures, and they even chew on electrical wiring, which can lead to dangerous sparks and even a house fire.
Raccoons bite, and while not every single individual raccoon is dangerous, you can never know which ones may be carrying rabies.
Now that you understand some of the reasons why raccoons hanging around your home can be problematic, it’s time to figure out what you want to do about it. The best thing we can recommend is securing ongoing services from the pest control professionals. Modern Pest Control is here to help.
Factors That Attract Raccoons To Your Home And Yard
What is that raccoons are looking for around our homes in the first place? There are a variety of factors that attract raccoons to your home and yard. These wildlife invaders are looking mainly for three things: food, water, and shelter. They can find these things where there are people, so that’s why they’re eager to access our homes.
Raccoons come into your home seeking a warm, safe place where they can nest and ride out the winter. They seek out dark, remote areas and find all kinds of entry points around your home, whether through damaged drywall, open chimney caps and ridge vents, or damaged areas of the roof or foundation. Pests love to find weak spots in your house to gnaw through and gain access. They enter through cracks in walls, holes and crevices in the baseboard, and all sorts of places. They often climb onto the roof using overhanging trees, gutter spouts, siding, and power lines.
Raccoons can be relentless about getting into your home, and they can cause a real ruckus looking for sources of food. Often, raccoons will go straight to your kitchen or garbage cans to find sustenance. They survive by eating out of trashcans and dumpsters, and they frequent barns, dens, trees, caves, and even use abandoned vehicles as hiding places.
The Safe And Effective Way To Remove Raccoons From Around Your Home
Raccoons are highly unsanitary and destructive pests that Katy property owners should be knowledgeable of, as previously mentioned. Considering the long list of dangers that come with raccoon activity, you’ll want to do everything you can to prevent them at all costs. That means changing habits, making structural modifications, and maintaining your property. Here are some helpful tips to help you prevent raccoons from entering your property:
Empty your garbage on a regular basis, so decay doesn’t build up.
Get a big dog to intimidate and discourage them from entering your property.
Install fencing around the perimeter of your yard.
Keep garbage cans in tightly sealed containers; use bins with lids that lock into place with handles or clamps.
Make sure not to leave food (pet or human) outside overnight.
Promptly clean up any spilled food or bird seed outside.
Reduce excess vegetation, yard debris, and harborage materials around your property.
Regularly trim any overhanging branches to prevent roof access.
Seal all entry points around the home, including roof seams, baseboards, attic vents, etc.
Use a chimney vent and keep the chimney properly capped at all times.
All of these precautionary measures can go a long way in keeping raccoons off your property. You must keep your distance if you detect any raccoon activity on your property. Never try to handle the situation on your own, and never try to approach a wild animal.
When you try to trap raccoons by yourself, they can become very dangerous. Raccoons usually keep to themselves, but when they feel threatened or cornered, they can become defensive, using their teeth and claws to attack. The safest and most effective way to remove raccoons from around your home is to call in the pros. The experienced wildlife professionals at Modern Pest Control are ready to help.
Since 1952, Modern Pest Control has provided complete racoon control solutions to homes and businesses throughout Katy and the greater Houston, TX area. We use the latest pest control strategies and most advanced methods to tackle your racoon infestation from the inside out. You can count on us to bring you the lasting results you’re looking for, with over 70 years of experience in the pest control industry.
We’re familiar with local area species, and we have decades of experience dealing with pesky invaders like raccoons. Our philosophy is to deliver prompt, personalized pest control that our customers can trust. With our effective raccoon solutions for your property, you can effectively protect yourself and those you love from the nightmare of infestation.
Thorough Inspection
Our raccoon control process begins with a walk-through of the property’s interior and exterior. We conduct a thorough inspection of the premises to determine areas where raccoons are active. We also detect conducive conditions and potential entry points around your property. We look for any areas with water buildup, as well as old food and garbage sources.
Effective Treatments
After inspecting the premises and detecting the scope of the infestation, we develop a customized treatment strategy to effectively tackle your raccoon infestation from the inside out. We customize our treatments to meet the needs of the individual customer, their specific property, and the level of infestation in their home.
Continued Protection
Once we’re done treating your property, we come back for re-services to make sure things stay safe throughout the year. We offer ongoing raccoon and wildlife control services to keep your home protected from infestation on a continuing basis.
Whatever kind of raccoon problem you face, you can count on us to deliver the protection you’ve been searching for, guaranteed. Not only that, but we offer unparalleled customer service to bring you the satisfaction you deserve. From start to finish, our service technicians are here to bring you superb customer service and lasting results.
The bottom line is that our raccoon control solutions protect the local community from infestation and contamination. There are a variety of reasons why Modern Pest Control is your best choice for raccoon control and prevention in Katy, including:
All our pest management professionals undergo rigorous training because bringing you the absolute best pest control is our number one goal.
We are proud to be Quality Pro Service providers, and the Texas Department of Agriculture fully licenses us.
In addition to servicing residences around Katy, we also work with all kinds of commercial properties. Some of the local businesses we’ve worked with include multi-unit housing, restaurants, hotels and commercial lodging, food processing facilities, office building and management properties, healthcare facilities, retail stores, daycares, schools, and supermarkets.
Professionals train our staff from Food Industry Sanitation Auditors (FISA) and the American Institute of Baking (AIB), giving us a high level of expertise for pest issues in food handling facilities.
We work with organizations such as BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association), the Greater Houston Restaurant Association, and the U.S. Green Building Council.
Call Modern Pest Control today to address all of your raccoon control and prevention needs. We will work with you to come up with the right solutions for you because your safety and protection are our number one goal.