Your Home or Backyard Is One Of The Best Places For Wildlife This Winter
Many people set up bird feeders in their backyards. This can provide a great source of entertainment. This is also an attractant for other nuisance animals in your backyard as the winter season approaches. It may seem harmless, but it can prove to be detrimental to your home. Here are some signs that you may have an infestation.
Signs of Damage
- Torn or ripped soffits and eaves
- Small holes in the backyard
- Holes chewed in the siding of your home
- Droppings in your home or around the outside of your home
- Torn open garbage bags in your backyard
- Torn roof shingles, particularly around vents
Nuisance Animals
Squirrels and raccoons are most commonly sighted in urban backyards. Squirrels can get into your home and will take up residence in the walls. This can be particularly dangerous since the squirrels can chew on your electrical wires, which could lead to an electrical fire in your home. Critters in the walls will also rip out the insulation and chew holes in your air ducts, resulting in your home not heating efficiently. Raccoons can live under your porch and will move into the attic if given the opportunity. Even the smallest hole in your foundation can become a rodent superhighway. A nuisance animal is described as any animal that will invade your home and cause damage. Here are some methods to protect your home from invasion.
Methods of Prevention
One sure way to prevent wildlife invasion is to eliminate as many food sources as possible. This means that you shouldn’t feed the birds in your backyard. If you still choose to feed the birds, invest in a good bird feeder that will prevent other animals from getting at the seed. Make sure that the bird seed is not spilled all over the ground under the bird feeder. This will only serve as an attractant for other animals.
Also, don’t leave pet food outside your home. Raccoons love cat food and can hurt your pets if they feel threatened. You will need to trim tree branches away from your home to prevent the superhighway effect. Ensure that all holes are sealed up in your foundation. Even the smallest hole could allow a mouse to get into your home. If they can get their heads through, the rest of the body will follow.
Make sure to keep your trash contained in a garbage can that will prevent easy access. Repair broken or rotted areas on your home that could allow critters to gain entry.
If you have a fireplace, close the damper when it is not in use. Bats and birds can and will fly down your chimney. Also, enclose the underside of your decks and porches so that critters can’t take up residence under them.
Take a little time to investigate your home. Having an invasion of nuisance animals in backyard can end up costing you a lot more than the lost time of prevention. If you find yourself with a problem, contact us before the damage is irreparable.