Getting Rid of Pesky Invaders: Squirrel and Raccoon Removal in Houston

Raccoons are highly intelligent and adaptable wild animals that can thrive in urban environments like Houston. While they may look cute, raccoons can cause extensive damage to homes and property. If you have raccoons living on your Houston property, you need professional raccoon removal in Houston as soon as possible.

Signs of Raccoon Activity in Houston

How do you know if you have raccoons on your Houston property? Look for these common signs of raccoon activity:

• Strange noises on the roof or attic, especially at night. Raccoons are nocturnal and make chittering, growling, or screeching vocalizations.
• Damaged attic ventilation. Raccoons will tear off attic vents or chew through soffits to gain access.
• Tipped over trash cans. Raccoons forage in trash for food. You may find trash strewn all over the ground.
• Latrine areas with raccoon feces. They use communal latrine sites and the feces look like small, tubular dog poop.
• Footprints or scratch marks on trees. Raccoons leave five-toed paw prints and climb trees using their sharp claws.
• Gardens or lawns with dug up areas. Raccoons forage in yards for grubs and other food.

If you spot any of these signs of raccoon activity on your property, it's essential to take action before the damage gets worse. Contact a professional Houston raccoon removal company immediately.

Dangers of Raccoons in Houston

Raccoons may look harmless, but they can cause extensive damage to Houston homes and pose risks to human health and safety if left unchecked. Here are some of the main dangers raccoons pose:

• Property damage: Raccoons tear up shingles, vents, insulation, and ductwork to gain access into attics and chimneys. Their urine and feces can also damage floors and walls.
• Messes: Raccoons tip over trash cans in search of food, creating huge messes. Their latrines and dens filled with feces, urine, and parasites are unhygienic and foul-smelling.
• Disease: Raccoons can transmit dangerous diseases to humans including rabies, roundworms, tuberculosis, and more. Their parasites like fleas can also infest a home.
• Aggressive behavior: While raccoons normally avoid confrontations, mothers with their kits can act defensive and claw or bite if provoked.

To protect your home and family’s health and safety, immediate professional raccoon control is a must for any Houston property with these wild animal invaders.

Houston Raccoon Removal Process

When you contact a professional Houston raccoon control company, here are the general steps involved in removing raccoons from your property:

Inspection

The first step is a thorough inspection of your home’s interior and exterior to check for entry points, damage, and signs of an active raccoon infestation. The inspection also determines if young kits are present.

Exclusion

Once all raccoon entry points are identified, the professionals will install one-way exclusion devices on the entry holes. These allow any remaining raccoons to leave but prevent re-entry. Sealing up holes deters future raccoon problems.

Removal and Cleanup

After ensuring all raccoons are out of the building, the pros will remove all feces, urine, nesting materials, dead raccoons, and other contaminated items. Full sanitization and decontamination of affected areas is done to eliminate parasites, bacteria, viruses, and odors.

Prevention

The last step is prevention! The Houston raccoon control technicians will provide tips on making your home less attractive to raccoons. Removal of food attractants, installing lights and sounds, reinforcing entry points, and trimming back tree branches can help deter raccoons from your property.

With professional removal and exclusion, your home will soon be raccoon-free. However, you must identify and seal up all possible entry points to prevent persistent or new raccoons from getting back in. Ongoing maintenance checks by the pros can ensure your home stays raccoon-free long term.

Squirrel Removal in Houston

From cute furry creatures gathering nuts to tenacious invaders shredding insulation in your attic, Houston residents are all too familiar with squirrels! If these persistent rodents are causing havoc on your property, professional squirrel removal and control services are needed.

Signs of Squirrels in Your Houston Home

Here are the most common signs and evidence of squirrels inhabiting your home’s interior:

• Noises in walls, ceiling, or attic like scratching, gnawing, thumping, and scampering
• Nesting materials like leaves, twigs, shredded paper, or insulation bits
• Chewed electrical wires with exposed copper
• Holes or entry points on the roof, soffit, or fascia boards
• Attic vents with gnaw marks or missing screens
• Droppings near entry holes or nests
• Pecan or walnut shells left behind from food storage

If you notice any of these signs, squirrels have already invaded your Houston home. Swift removal is needed to prevent further damage and health hazards. Contact professional squirrel trappers immediately.

Risks Squirrels Pose in Houston Homes

Why are squirrels considered nuisance animals and pests in Houston? Here are some of the major risks they pose:

• Property damage - Squirrels tear up attic insulation, drywall, shingles, vents, furniture, and more by gnawing and building nests. This causes costly repairs.
• Electrical hazards - Chewed wires and cables can lead to power outages or electrical fires.
• Noise issues - Nocturnal scampering in walls and ceilings disturbs sleep.
• Disease transmission - Squirrels carry diseases like typhus, tularemia, and ringworm. Their nests are infested with parasites.
• Aggressive behavior - Mother squirrels protecting their young will bite and scratch.

Professional squirrel trapping and exclusion is the only safe, effective method to get rid of destructive squirrels in Houston homes. Do not attempt risky DIY squirrel removal.

Houston Squirrel Removal Process

When you choose a licensed professional Houston squirrel control company, here is the general process they follow:

Inspection

A thorough inspection locates all entry points, damage, nests, and areas of squirrel activity inside the home. Entry points on the roof and exterior are also identified.

Removal

Once identified, the squirrels are safely removed using humane traps. This may require multiple visits over several days to ensure all squirrels and any young squirrels are removed.

Sanitation

All nesting areas and materials are fully cleaned out and sanitized. Droppings and contaminated insulation are safely removed and disposed.

Exclusion

Exclusion devices are installed to allow squirrels to exit but not re-enter. Potential entry holes are sealed shut. This prevents persistent or new squirrels from gaining access.

Prevention

The Houston squirrel removal professionals will offer prevention tips such as clearing tree branches away from the roofline, installing flashing, sealing openings with wire mesh, and removing outdoor food sources.

With professional squirrel trapping and exclusion, Houston homeowners can eliminate damages caused by these persistent rodents. Be sure to choose a qualified, licensed wildlife control company for safe, effective, and humane squirrel removal from your property.

Conclusion

Dealing with nuisance wildlife like raccoons and squirrels invading your home can be frustrating and costly. But professional raccoon and squirrel trapping and exclusion services offer a safe, fast solution. Reputable Houston raccoon and squirrel removal companies have the know-how to humanely remove all animals from your property and prevent future problems through exclusion and prevention. With their expert help, you can protect your home from further damages caused by these clever invaders.