Wild animals, such as squirrels, raccoons, mice, rats and bats, seek shelter and warmth inside people’s attics. If animals are currently living in your house, or if they have been there recently, you might notice some telltale signs.
Problems You Might See in Your Attic
When animals move into attics, they can create an impressive amount of destruction. They can chew and scratch through shingles and wood supporting structures to get inside, then damage drywall and use insulation and other materials they find to build nests. If you notice these types of damage in your attic, you’ve got a pest problem.
When you go upstairs, you might see piles of waste or urine stains. Those are clear indications that you’ve got one or more wild animals living in your attic. Depending on the type of animal that’s responsible, it might be necessary to have a professional clean your attic. Some species carry diseases that can be spread through waste.
Other Signs of a Pest Problem
If you don’t go up to your attic on a regular basis, animals might live there for months before you see any damage. You might notice other signs of a problem when you’re in your living area or outside your house.
When you’re downstairs, you might hear animals walking or running around in the attic, or you might notice scratching sounds. Many of the species that seek shelter inside attics are active at night.
If you notice an unpleasant smell in your house and you can’t figure out what’s causing it, you might have one or more pests living in the attic. When you go upstairs, you might spot waste and other signs of a wildlife problem.
If you walk around outside and notice waste near your house’s foundation, that can indicate that there’s a problem inside. Go up to your attic and look for other signs of pests.
When you walk around your home’s exterior, you might spot damaged shingles, siding, or vents and be able to figure out how animals got into your attic. In many cases, though, it’s hard to locate entry points. Wild animals are surprisingly adept at squeezing through tiny holes and cracks to get into attics.
How to Deal With a Pest Problem
If you have found evidence of animals in your attic, or if you have reason to suspect that there’s a problem, don’t try to handle it yourself. If you attempt to trap or chase out wild animals, you might get bitten or scratched. Some species carry rabies and other diseases that can be spread to humans. Also, an animal might panic and cause even more destruction as it runs or flies around the attic trying to get away from you.
A wildlife control professional can remove animals from your attic and locate the entry points that they used to get inside. You can then have those entry points sealed and make any other repairs that are necessary to keep animals out in the future.
