Scratches, squeaks and growls coming from the attic. The smell of urine and feces oozing through walls and ceilings. Clawed woodwork, shredded insulation and gnawed electrical wiring. Wildlife infestations in Virginia homes are a thoroughly unpleasant experience that no one wants to go through. But how do you keep them from happening?
Fortunately, there are some wildlife prevention techniques that can stop animals from getting into your home in Virginia. Preventing wildlife from getting into your home tends to be much more cost-effective than having the animals removed after the fact. Here are a few of the best tips to keep wildlife out.
Top 3 Wildlife Prevention Tips
- Secure Your Trash – As far as raccoons, skunks and other wild animals are concerned, your garbage can is a banquet. Most critters are opportunistic scavengers, so if they find your property is a source of free food, they’re more likely to also seek shelter inside your home. When you store garbage bins outside or in your garage, be sure they’re covered by a tight-fitting lid to keep animals from getting into them. If you’ve been having a problem with wildlife raiding your trash, try to keep your bins inside until it’s collection day.
- Seal Gaps in Home Exterior – Rodents, especially mice, are infamous for their ability to squeeze through even the tiniest gaps in the foundation or siding to infiltrate Virginia homes. Larger holes in your roof may allow bigger animals, even raccoons, to invade your attic. To prevent wildlife from having easy access to your home interior, you need to seal all cracks and holes in your home exterior. This includes replacing missing roof shingles. The more difficult it is for critters to get inside, the less likely they are to enter your home.
- Cover All Openings – While sealing unwanted openings to your home is a great step in wildlife prevention, don’t forget that there are some necessary openings. These include attic vents, dryer vents and chimneys. Wildlife like squirrels and bats can easily gain access to your Virginia home using these entry points. In order to prevent this, place appropriate covers over any external vents so that wildlife can’t use them as doorways. If you have a chimney, keep the flue closed when you’re not using it and consider installing a mesh screen for additional protection against wildlife.
Do You Need Professional Wildlife Prevention in Virginia?
DIY wildlife prevention strategies will reduce the chance of a wildlife infestation in your home but if you want your house to be fully animal-proof, you should work with the pros. Call Pest Proof Pest Management today if you want reliable wildlife prevention solutions for your home in the greater Manassas, VA area!
