From time to time, you’ll find wild animals straying into your home. Most people don’t mind occasional visits. But when these creatures intrude and make themselves comfortable, that changes our perception. Some of these critters cause structural damage your home and transmit diseases. If they invade your home or cause damage, talk to your local pest control company and the foundation or basement repair contractor as well.
Bears
Aside from ransacking the trash can, the burly bear may force its way through the screen door to get a taste of the meals in your kitchen. Make sure you enclose open compost piles that include kitchen scraps. Strong spray repellents like Ammonia can also deter bears.
Rodents
Wild rodents like brown rats and wood mice aren’t just a nuisance but a health hazard. They carry ticks, mites, and fleas that can bite your loved ones. To stop these rodents, plug gaps and seal cracks on your walls and basements. Caulk holes around water pipes or ducts that lead to your heater. Don’t forget to cover any open insulation in your home as mice might use them as nesting.
Chipmunks
Thanks to their small bodies, chipmunks can squeeze their way into your home through small gaps or openings. And they love to tear apart homes. They can gnaw baseboards and burrow through walls using their big sharp teeth. When they come in, they’ll spread bacteria, Lyme disease, and bubonic plague. Get rid of them as soon as you spot them.
Snakes
These slithery creatures can get into your home through the smallest of openings, and this makes them quite frustrating to handle. Typical of cold-blooded animals, they tend to seek warmth in your home’s interior. Be wary of snakes as some are venomous, and can lure other larger predators.
Squirrels
Just like chipmunks, squirrels have tiny bodies and a tendency of chewing and burrowing through walls. They can climb up to your home through ducts, the chimney, or go through the foundation. Squirrels also create nests in the basement or crawl space using insulation and electrical.
Raccoons
Not only are these furry pests mischievous, but they have the potential to cause significant damage around the home. They can destroy your insulation, tear out the electric wiring, damage ducts, and leave their dropping everywhere. While they rarely transmit diseases, they are capable of carrying severe diseases such as rabies. It’s important that you keep them out of your property.
Bats
While these nocturnal critters don’t chew wood, their urine and guano can accumulate and drip through the ceiling. These excretions can ruin your insulation and permeate particle boards, leading to structural collapse. What’s more, is that bats transmit diseases and spread bacteria. Their droppings do attract bugs, which they feed on. If you spot bats, get them out of your home.
Woodpeckers
These birds feed on seeds, nuts, and berries. But when their craving for bark lice and other insects strike, they’ll hammer holes into the siding or shingles and get them. The holes they leave can open up your home to moisture and draft especially in wet and windy weather. You can deter them by using Scare Balloon or loud sound deterrents.
Vultures
It’s inconceivable that a bird that scavenges on carcasses in the wild would swoop down on your home and cause problems that can reduce the home’s energy efficiency. Vinyl and plastic are eye candy to vultures. When these nasty birds descend on your home, they’ll damage seals, pool covers, and remove window caulking and roof shingles.
Conclusion
Over ten types of wild animals can invade your home and damage it. So, you can’t afford to let your guard down. These wild creatures will tear up the insulation, dig holes in walls, remove roofing material, and spread deadly bacteria. Be wary of them and keep an eye on pest activity around your home to be safe.