What to Do if You Have a Raccoon in the Basement

Posted on March 29, 2021 by Budgetanimal

Right now, raccoons are in search of dens to reproduce and raise their young for the spring. Unfortunately, the raccoons that live near urban areas prefer attics, crawl spaces, and basement in place of a den. This means nuisance raccoons are more of a problem this time of year than any other. So, it is likely to come across a raccoon in the basement, or other area of your property.

If you currently have a raccoon stuck or living in your basement, continue reading to learn how to get it out.

How to Protect Your Basement Against Raccoon Intrusions

How to Get Rid of Raccoons in the House

Raccoons usually prefer higher levels of residence, so if you have a raccoon in the basement, it is likely that there are more in the attic or other area of your property. In basements, they generally like to use the tops of water heaters, water softeners, and furnace units to house their nests. Look here first to see if there are signs of raccoon activity. There are several reasons why a raccoon might have decided to take shelter in your particular basement. Perhaps you left pet food outside, or a window wasn’t sealed properly. Either way, the raccoon chose your basement, so now it’s up to you to choose your next move.

Here’s what to do if you have a raccoon in your basement or cellar:

► Locate All Entry Points. This is sometimes tricky to do without the help and resources of a wildlife control contractor, but it can still be done if you have the proper methods. Look all around the exterior of your home, and inspect for loose roof shingles, loose siding, warped patio boards, torn gutters, and any other irregularities that may suggest animals were trying to get inside. Also check the seals on your windows and doors to be sure animals cannot pry their way inside. Do the same for garage doors.

If you are lucky enough to blatantly see a raccoon entry and exit hole, so not seal it up just yet. But sprinkle white flour in front of the hole, and then the next day, see which direction the paw prints head, in or out. If you notice it is an exit, then that same night, close it up so the raccoon cannot return. Then call a professional Indianapolis critter control company to fully inspect, clean, and secure your home against raccoons.

If You Can’t Get the Raccoon to Leave…

► Use Food as Bait to Lure Raccoons Outside. Place food items, like cheese or fruit, just outside the hole to lure the raccoon out. Once it is out, you can then close the entry point to exclude the raccoon from reentering.

► Before You Seal the Hole, Check for Raccoon Babies First. You do not want to lure a mother raccoon out of your basement, and leave behind her pups that will die and decay in your home. Before permanently sealing off the entry/exit hole, be sure there are no raccoon litters in your attic or basement. If you find none, close the hole and then call a licensed wildlife control contractor for safe and secure raccoon removal services.

Please keep in mind that it is immoral, and illegal, to trap, harm, or kill wild raccoons without the proper licensing. Always call a trusted wildlife control company for non-lethal and professional raccoon removal services.

Do you have a raccoon infestation in your house or business? Contact Budget Animal Removal at 317-875-3099 for DNR licensed and insured Indianapolis, Indiana critter control you can afford. We also provide cleanup and repair for animal damages and infestations.

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How to Protect Your House From Nuisance Wildlife in Tennessee

Posted on March 22, 2021 by Budgetanimal

With the first day of spring already behind us now, these recent warm weather changes here in Nashville are guaranteed to bring out the local nuisance wildlife in your area. So be sure your home is protected against destructive animals before it’s too late. Continue reading to learn exactly what you need to do to stop nuisance wildlife from damaging your property in Tennessee.

Nashville Tennessee Critter Control 615-337-9165

Nashville Tennessee Critter Control Advice

Nuisance wildlife can cause a long list of structural damages to the inside and outside of your home. They can also pose a long list of safety hazards and health risks, such as viruses, diseases, parasites, and more. Nuisance animals are not something you want on your property, so it is necessary to do what it takes to ensure your house is protected against such damages. Your duties will include environmental modifications, inspections, and professional wildlife intervention.

Environmental Changes Around Your House

Your first step to thwarting nuisance wildlife activity on and around your property is to make all the necessary and recommended environmental changes. Such modifications will reduce your premise’s appeal to nuisance animals, like raccoons, squirrels, and opossum. To accomplish this, remove all food and water sources that are outside of your house. This includes pet bowls, animal food, bird baths, Koi ponds, and even garbage.

It is important to always take your garbage out on the morning of trash collection day; never leave it outside, overnight unless you want uninvited critters rummaging through it all. If you must leave your garbage receptacles outside, use lid locks to discourage access. Furthermore, you will need to secure any outdoor gardens you will have growing, but this can wait until yields begin to turn come spring.

Property Inspection and Sealing

Animals can find ways inside the house if such access points exist. Bats can squeeze through an opening as little as 3/8ths of an inch, which means access points are bound to exist somewhere. It is vital to have your home inspected for such vulnerabilities, especially if your home has not had any work done to it for several years.

Areas like crumbling mortar, rotted siding, loose roof shingles, torn screens, and more, are all possible access points for nuisance wildlife. A professional Nashville wildlife control company can provide a full-property inspection and seal up any openings or vulnerable spots. Have this service done before spring emerges to ensure your house is fully-protected against costly animal damages.

Are nuisance animals causing problems on or around your property in Nashville, TN? Contact Budget Animal Removal at 615-337-9165 for TWRA licensed and insured Nashville, Tennessee critter control you can afford. We also provide cleanup and repair for animal damages and infestations.

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Tennessee Wildlife Removal and Control 615-337-9165

Information About Attic Restoration After an Animal Infestation

Posted on March 12, 2021 by Budgetanimal

Animals that are wild do not make good house guests. So, when you discover a critter infestation in your attic, which by the way happens to be a favorite spot for all types of wildlife, it is time for immediate exclusion and remediation. Depending on the circumstances, you may or may not need critter removal; but in most cases, attics that were once infested will likely be targeted again, which means they will require preventative maintenance work and restoration for damages.

Continue reading to learn important information about cleaning up and repairing attic damages after an animal infestation, and how to get started with a free quote in your area.

Indianapolis Wildlife Removal and Attic Restoration 317-875-3099

Animal Removal and Exclusion

When an attic is infested by wild animals, whether raccoons, bats, squirrels, chipmunks, or birds, you want to make sure that all the animals are out for good. In order to do this, your hired Indianapolis wildlife removal specialists will implement the proper animal trapping strategies and methods to safely extract the critters. The strategies and equipment they use will depend on the target animal.

Once the animals are trapped and removed, the licensed critter control team can move forward with animal exclusion and proofing work. During this phase of the attic restoration process, the technicians will install different materials and devices to prevent further animal intrusions. Such materials and devices might include wire mesh screening, vent covers, sonar lasers, and roof sheathing.

After the attic is free of wildlife and guarded against future infestations, the animal removal pros will need to clean up the mess the animals left behind, and repair any damages to torn or soiled insulation and drywall. To cleanup, professional-grade supplies are used to thoroughly clean all bio-hazards, as well as sanitize the entire space, such as fog-enzyme machines, deodorizers, air filtration devices, and fumigators. This rids the area of fungi, parasites, pests, bacteria, viruses, and more.

Primary Focal Points of Attic Repair:

► Entry Holes – Animals use their innate abilities to enter the attic through small holes, gaps, and openings. They will tear through screens, rip off vents, remove roof shingles, pry off siding, and break through chimneys to gain access inside an attic. A common indicator of entry points is grease marks or oily stains. All of these areas will require sealing and exclusion.

► Waste Removal – Animals do use the bathroom where they eat, and the combination of the two activities leaves behind a massively unhygienic environment, and therefore, dangerous. Some animals, like bats and birds, grow toxic fungus on their droppings, which emit spores that can become airborne and inhaled by occupants, leading to serious upper respiratory complications and illnesses. Waste removal and sanitizing treatments are a large part of attic repair after an infestation.

► Structural Damages – Wildlife will damage the inside of an attic with their destructive behaviors, like chewing, gnawing, soiling, ripping, and more. Attic insulation often gets torn and made into bedding, or entirely soaked through with urine and droppings. Floorboards, drywall, and beams can also become soiled with urine, which can lead to lingering odors in the living areas of the home. These will all need repaired and restored after an infestation.

Do you have animals in the attic? Contact Budget Animal Removal at 317-875-3099 for fast and affordable animal removal and control services in Indianapolis, Indiana and its surrounding counties. We serve all of Central Indiana with 24 hour animal removal service.

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