No matter where you live, you’ve probably experienced some sort of pest or wildlife issue. Just having them around is unpleasant to think about or deal with, but the dangers of pests and wildlife in and around your home go beyond the nuisance factor. In our next two blog posts, we’re going to explain some of the hidden dangers pests pose to your home and the health risks they present to you and your family.
We often see damage around our customer’s homes at common wildlife entry points. Most often this is on the rooftops where caps, vents and covers can get chewed or ripped out of place.
Even though squirrels, raccoons and skunks might not look that big, they have razor sharp teeth and strong paws, so plastic hardware used on the exterior of homes pose little challenge to these animals trying to get inside.
Larger animals, like raccoons, can cause even more damage. It’s not uncommon that we’ll find a raccoon has ripped away the soffits and eavestroughs under someone’s roof and clawed a hole through the fascia and wooden panels beneath the shingles.
Smaller insect pests aren’t as destructive to the exterior of your home, but they can still cause damage to exposed wood. Their entry points are more often through gaps in window and doors frames. Some insects, like ants, will target damp or rotting wood sometimes found around older window or door frames and can make these openings bigger, making the problem worse.
Once inside your home, the damage caused by these animals can continue.
Inside your attic, animals will rip up your insulation to make a nest. They’ll chew and scratch away at beams and rafters so it’s easier to come and go and get around your attic.
From the attic, they can chew their way down into the walls, continuing their assault on the wooden framing and insulation inside your walls.
Once an animal has made an entry point, your home is now at the mercy of both the pest and Mother Nature. Rain, snow, moisture and wind can get in through the entry holes and cause rot and decay to your home’s structure. This happens on a much longer timeline, but the damage is no less real and can be very expensive to repair if not caught early on.
There’s also an increased risk of fire if an animal does get into your attic or walls.
When they’re building nests, animals such as squirrels, raccoons and skunks will use just about anything they can get their claws on, including the plastic insulation around your electrical wiring.
Stripping live wires bare can cause a short circuit. At best this will trip your circuit breaker, but if the touching wires cause sparks in the presence of flammable materials then this could start a fire.
Wildlife and pests can be more than just a nuisance to deal with, they can cause very real and very expensive damage inside and outside your home. They can cause damage to the exterior and interior of your home, and can even pose a fire risk.
If you see signs of wildlife trying to get into your home, or if you know you already have an animal in your attic or walls, call the wildlife control professionals at Pest Protection Plus! We can take care of all your wildlife removal needs, and our Pest Guard Home Protection Plan gives you peace of mind that your home is protected around the clock and around the calendar!
Call us today to talk to one of our experts, and always remember …
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