Entry Points in the Home to Reinforce Every Spring | Better HouseKeeper

Spring is an essential month for homeowners, particularly when it comes to home maintenance!

Photo By: Pixabay

Warm weather often invites wildlife, especially raccoons, in and around the home, which is why it’s essential to secure the three main entry points in your house to avoid unwanted visitors. Before you begin spring cleaning, take the steps necessary to ensure your roof, attic, and deck are sealed and secure.

Repairing Your Roof

The roof of any home is a crucial structure for several reasons. Protecting from small wildlife such as raccoons is one of the key reasons homeowners must take preventive measures. Older homes, in particular, often succumb to loose or missing shingles or cracks in the structure. Any openings around your roof are easy entry points for raccoons to enter, nest, and mate. Replacing loose shingles and adding plumbing mats can help cover any gaps around the top of your home and keep animals strictly outside.

Repairing these parts of your roof will help you avoid raccoon latrine cleaning and keep your family safe. If the problem has gone beyond your measures, the experts at Wildlife Shield can help you take the next step. They’ve seen it all when it comes to raccoon infestations in the home and have the tools and resources to remove wildlife from any crevice in the house safely.

Addressing the Attic

In many cases, the attic of a home is used primarily for storage and is rarely touched by homeowners throughout the year. This means greater chances of raccoons and small wildlife nesting in these forgotten areas of the home in the winter months without the homeowner’s knowledge.

Steel or wire mesh may be used to secure openings inside the attic, preventing raccoons and small animals from making it inside and building their nest. Additionally, regularly inspecting and cleaning your attic will help ensure you’re able to notice any suspicious activity before the problem gets out of hand.

Beracading the Backyard Deck

Before taking any precautions in your backyard and around your deck, it’s essential to ensure the area is free of raccoons before sealing any gaps or openings. Previous inhabitants may have left droppings or food, which should be cleaned out before securing the deck. Raccoons have a strong sense of smell and may find their way under the porch if there are any traces of food left underneath. Before you take additional preventative measures, ensure you’ve entirely swept, or power washed under your deck.

If the site is clear of wildlife, you’re clear to dig around the deck and create a trench. This allows space for wire mesh to be installed along with the structure. If you’re unable to secure the area with this extreme measure, you can still enclose a wire mesh and secure it without a deep trench. If aesthetics is an issue, install a wooden cover in front of the mesh to keep your design intact and your deck free from unwelcomed raccoons and small wildlife.