How Much Damage Are Raccoons In The Attic Capable Of?
Raccoons are wild animals who do not make good houseguests. They’re just naturally sloppy and destructive. Some people have tried to keep them as pets, but the main problem is that they destroy everything in the house, aside from the risk of being bitten or scratched. A raccoon living in a house’s attic will do a lot of damage.
Raccoons enter attics to nest and raise their young. Once in the attic, they will use all materials available to them in order to construct their nest. This means anything from insulation to personal belongings will be ripped apart. Understanding the different types of raccoon damage will help homeowners identify if there are raccoons in their homes.
Learn More: Raccoon Damage Frequently Asked Questions
How Do Raccoons Damage Insulation?
Insulation is designed to be fluffy in order to work and retain its R-Value (how thick the product is). An active raccoon can trample through a lot of insulation in a given area. For nesting purposes, they may clear an area of insulation or gather it. The R-value of insulation may be lowered as a result of these activities. This will result in higher electrical or gas bills because the furnace is working harder to heat the home.
Are Chewed Wires A Sign Of Raccoon Damage?
When you notice raccoon damage to your attic wires, it’s usually because the animals chewed on them, though they can also scratch them. Wires are an easy target for raccoons looking for something to chew on. They may even chew wires to shred them and use the shredded material as nesting material.
While other raccoon damage to your attic can be expensive to repair, problems with the wires can be much more serious. You have a serious fire risk on your hands if you are unaware that the wires have been chewed or scratched and are completely exposed.
Overloading or even just using the wire, in this case, can cause sparks and fire. There is plenty of kindling because raccoons have already spread your insulation and other items throughout your attic. Chewing wires, at the very least, can cause malfunctions and require replacement.
How Can Raccoons In The Attic Hurt A Home’s Wood Structure?
Raccoons like to chew on the wood in attics and on the roof. If wood chewing continues, extensive damage to the roof may occur, resulting in roof weakening. Repairing a roof that has been chewed on for an extended period of time can be very costly in repairs.
How Does Raccoons Droppings Harm An Attic?
Your attic will be used as a giant litter box by raccoons. A single raccoon in the attic can produce enough feces, and urine is sufficient to cause serious health problems. Birthing mothers produce up to eight kits, and that will multiply the amount of excrement produced.
Raccoon feces is one of the most dangerous aspects of the animal. The infection baylisascaris is caused by a roundworm found in raccoon excrement. Roundworm eggs are frequently found inside raccoon droppings, and if consumed by humans, they can cause severe nervous system damage or death.
Feces and urine can also seep into the construction of an attic. If left untouched, the dropping will greatly weaken the attic’s wood and may cause structural damage.
How To Repair Raccoon Damage To The Attic?
Contact Animals Happen for help if you recently had a raccoon removed from your home and are now dealing with the damage it has caused. With reconstruction services, wildlife professionals can effectively repair structural damage to your roof, walls, ceiling, and HVAC system, as well as seal any openings to prevent future raccoon infestations. You can also rely on our technicians to thoroughly and effectively clean up any biohazards that may pose a health risk to you. If the raccoon is still in your attic, contact us right away, and we can conduct both the removal process and the restoration process.