Homeowners’ Guide to Keep Raccoons Away

As cute as raccoons may look, they are the last thing you want near or in your home. Raccoons can not only cause structural damage to your property, but they can also cause an infestation of fleas, parasites, and roundworm. They are also the most-reported wildlife species with rabies, making them even more dangerous to the inhabitants of your home. Learning what attracts raccoons to your house and how to keep them away for good is essential to not worrying about the destruction they could cause.

If you have raccoons invading your yard or house, it’s important to call a professional. PURCOR has the experience necessary to properly and safely keep raccoons away from your home. We also will help you learn how to raccoon-proof your home to avoid them for good! Read on to learn some of the most effective ways to keep wild raccoons at bay.

Raccoon-Proofing Your Home

Raccoons are relentless in their search for food, which is why your trash cans are a huge target. However, they are also often brazen enough to find a way into your home to raid your food sources. To ensure raccoons aren’t attracted to your home in the first place, a professional may implement or suggest the following prevention methods:

• Seal trash more effectively: Raccoons have the ability to chew through plastic trash cans, which is why it may be smart to invest in metal, locking garbage cans.
  • If they still get in the trash, you may be advised to place cinder blocks on top of each can.
  • In serious cases, it’s sometimes best to keep trash cans inside a shed with a padlock or encased within a wired-off fence with a roof.
• Protect your chimney: Chimneys provide a perfect place to nest, and raccoons can easily enter the home through a chimney. Installing an inexpensive screen or using hardware netting can help deter raccoons.
  • An even more effective way of raccoon-proofing your chimney is by investing in a chimney cap. A professional can help accurately prepare a chimney for protection methods by checking for existing nests and removing hazardous debris.
• Cover vents: By properly covering dust vents and outdoor vents, you can eliminate another source through which wild raccoons can enter.
  • While wire mesh cloth or screening can do the job, heavy-duty steel screens will ensure raccoons can’t fight their way through.
  • Also consider investing in enclosed gutters or protection for overhangs to keep raccoons off the roof.
• Protect porches and decks: The space underneath a porch or deck can be the ideal environment for raccoons, especially when they need to take shelter from rain or heat.
  • Cover any openings under a porch or deck with mesh, wood, or hardware cloth.
  • To keep raccoons from digging under the porch, install a barrier about 12 inches into the ground.
• Keep trees and yard tidy: Making sure your yard doesn’t provide a raccoon places to hide or easily climb can help keep them away.
  • Cut back tree branches to at least six feet away from the home to ensure raccoons don’t have easy access to the roof.
  • Clean up any leaf piles and debris and keep compost piles secure.

Professional Help for Keeping Raccoons Away

Following the tips above will go a long way in helping a homeowner in keeping raccoons from taking up residence at their home. If these tips don’t fully succeed in preventing wildlife entry to your home, it’s time to contact PURCOR. Raccoons are destructive and can be dangerous, and an infestation should always be taken care of by a professional. Our removal experts will eradicate raccoons quickly to keep your family and home safe. Call us today to learn more about our raccoon-proofing methods!