Why should you protect your home from Wildlife?
As cute as rodents such as squirrels and raccoons can look, they can cause damage to your home, hurt your pets, and even carry diseases. It is advisable to not touch or play with wildlife animals for this reason. However, sometimes these animals try enter your home! They won't walk through the front door like you. Instead these creatures are stealthy, and will do whatever it takes for a couple bites of human food.
By using these easy five tricks, you too should be able to protect your home or apartment from wildlife infestation! Check out the video version of this BLOG post by clicking here: https://youtu.be/Ps0JPahOu0g
Trick #1: Search for openings around your house.
If you have a cat or dog, you know very well how easily these animals can shrink to fit into small places. The same is true with raccoons, squirrels, skunks, and more! Even the smallest of holes can be entered by a persistent creature. Furthermore, even if the animal can't make it through the small opening, it may try anyways and cause damage to your home.
Don't just check ground-level, especially if you have trees or other climbable objects. Some house gutters for example may connect to areas inside of your walls. Most wildlife animals are expert climbers, as well as diggers, and can quickly find weaknesses outside of your house. Even if you can't find any visible holes, search for weak areas. Water damage as an example can weaken the wall making it easier for a rodent to climb under. Wildlife animals become persistent when hungry and always enjoy a challenge, so make sure your first line of defense (your walls) are working!
Trick #2: Do not leave any open food/drink outside or inside
Leaving food out attracts ants & insects as well as other rodents. In fact, you may already have insects hiding under your floors or in your walls! As soon as food is left out or exposed, these insects will climb out of their hiding spaces to go eat, potentially making a huge mess and causing lots of damage. Food left out outside accomplishes the same thing: The wind carries the smell far, attracting all kinds of hungry creatures.
Unless you want to feed all of these creatures, it would be most wise to not leave food or beverages out for too long! Also, the longer you leave food out of the refrigerator, the chance of it going "bad" increases. As the food expires, it releases a powerful odor that, while smelling terrible to us humans, smells incredibly delicious to wildlife rodents and insects.
Trick #3: Cover and hide your trash bags.
Wildlife rodents have incredible senses of smell, in some cases twenty-five times more powerful than a human nose! Even the slightest smell from a trash bag means a big meal for a rodent. While humans may not eat out of the trash (I hope you don't), rodents have no problem.
This applies to in-house trash as well. The very subtle smells can escape through doors, vents, and windows, attracting wildlife. When it's time to take out the trash, make sure all trash bags are sealed as tight as possible, preferably with no liquids inside of them. Liquids such as water combined with food increases the travel distance of the smell before it dissipates, potentially attracting more creatures. Double check that your trash bin has no leaks, liquids, or holes that may release or make potent the smell of trash!
Trick #4: Check around your house for climbable objects
We have all seen a squirrel easily dart up a tree! Almost all animals can do this easily, and so in an attempt to break into your home, wildlife rodents may hop on your roof causing damage. Check around your house for trees, fences, poles, etc. for climbable objects. Open windows may unknowingly release odors that attract wildlife animals, and because they can't waltz through the front door, they will get creative in finding a solution.
Trick #5: Keep your yard clear
Don't leave stuff in your yard! Four-legged animals are innately trained to be attracted to tight spaces. For example, cat owners may notice that their cats always dash into small openings when a cabinet is opened. This is because animals are always searching for prey, and prey tends to hide in small places.
Raccoons and other wildlife animals will be curious to see if they can find any creatures to hunt in your yard, if they notice there are several hiding spots. Also, some toys if wet can release powerful odors humans can't smell and which attract wildlife animals from all over the place. If an animal is attracted to your yard, they will be closer to any odors potentially coming out of your house. Keep your yard open and clean to make wildlife creatures go elsewhere.
How else can I prevent wildlife damage?
Wildlife damages can reach as high as $15,514.62, though this is only in very extreme cases. You should protect your home and fix any damages done as soon as possible to prevent further damage, losing more money. For advanced protection strategies and affordable property restoration, schedule a FREE inspection report today by clicking here now!