Wildlife Seek Shelter From Cold In The Attic
If you live in the Houston area, chances are you have noticed the change in weather in the last few weeks. Temperatures during the day are now pleasant, and temperatures at night seem downright cold. If you are like many other people, you tend to spend more time inside during the winter. Wildlife have the exact same thinking that we do. Whenever it gets cold, they tend to seek warm shelter just like us. That shelter can come in the form of your attic, walls, subfloor or many other areas of your house or commercial property. Wildlife are seeking this shelter for warmth, to protect themselves from the elements, to breed, and to feed. While this can seem harmless to you, it is not the case for your home.
As the winter season approaches, you will find that a few sounds occasionally could turn into an everyday occurrence. Wildlife have been known to chew on wood, wires, and anything else they can get their teeth on. Rats and squirrels are a contributing factor in many house fires by chewing on electrical wires. In order to prevent a disaster such as losing your home to a fire, let 911 Wildlife seal up your home to prevent any unwanted pests from getting back in.
What Wildlife Take Up Residence In The Attic?
Rats are the most common type of wildlife to find their way into your home. Rats are nocturnal so if you are hearing chewing, running, or scratching at night there is a good chance that a rat or multiple rats are the culprit. While you might think of rats being small animals and not possible of causing such a ruckus, that is not correct. Since rats are of a smaller size compared to other types of wildlife, they often travel freely throughout your whole home including walls and attic. Rats in the Houston area have been caught that weigh over a pound and over 18 inches long. They also reproduce at a very rapid pace. You might find that two rats can turn in dozens in a very short amount of time.
Squirrels are the second most common type of wildlife that we catch in the Houston area. Squirrels are diurnal which means they are typically active only during the day. If you think that the noise you’re hearing are simply squirrels on your roof, there is a good chance they are actually in your attic. Squirrels will spend their time in your attic running around, reproducing, and bringing acorns and nuts in to feed. Squirrels are very resilient. If they are not trapped properly, they can cause massive amounts of damage in a short amount of time.
If the sounds you are hearing in your attic are at night and sound like a human walking around above, don’t fret or call the police too quickly. Chances are you’ve got another type of larger wildlife in your attic such as an opossum or raccoons. Both of these are nocturnal animals and love the cozy warmth of the insulation in your attic. While this might seem innocent, they can both very quickly ruin the insulation by compacting it and using it as their latrine. Both raccoons and opossums chew and scratch their way into your home. Raccoons in particular have been known to destroy large areas of soffit just to gain access to your home. If exclusion is not performed correctly, then opossums and raccoons will find their own way back into your home whether you want them there or not.
How Can Wildlife Be Permanently Removed?
Wildlife can gain access to your home through a large number of entry points such as weep holes, AC Lines, roof vents, with the most common being the eaves of your roof. Each of these entry points much be sealed using some type of metal product such as flashing and hardware cloth. Many pest control and animal removal companies will simply use expanding foam on problem areas, however that will not suffice. Exclusion by sealing up the entry points is what sets 911 Wildlife apart. We seal up every hole big or small and do it in a manner to where you will not have to worry about any unwanted guests for the life of your home. We are homeowners as well and know that it is your pride and joy. We pay special attention to making sure any type of exclusion that we perform is done with great detail and with precision. We make sure that any flashing or screws are painted to match the color of your exterior and we always use clear silicone to reduce the contrast of the new products.
"Very kind, helpful, communication was fantastic! Appreciate the fast response and help. Ryan worked with my husband to go over findings, his arrival. Thank you to Ryan and team!"
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