Raccoons are very destructive and potentially dangerous animals, which is why Critter and Pest Defense owner Carl Shaw explains that they need to be removed by a professional as soon as they are discovered. Shaw is an Orlando-based animal removal specialist who can help homeowners get rid of any rodents or pests who have moved in and made themselves comfortable.
The most common place for a raccoon to make its home is in an attic. Unfortunately, raccoons are not exactly the ideal guests. “Raccoons will leave an attic totally destroyed once they decide they want to live there.” Even worse, they can be so sneaky that many homeowners do not even realize they have a raccoon living in their homes for months on end. “Usually it’s a neighbor who spots a raccoon on the roof, and that starts the investigation that leads to finding a family of raccoons living in an attic space,” Shaw says.
Why are raccoons so hard to spot?
Raccoons are, by nature, very sneaky creatures, and most adults are quiet enough that homeowners don’t even realize they’ve come in. “Oftentimes, people with regular bedtimes aren’t aware that they have a raccoon problem because they go to sleep before the noise starts at night,” Shaw says. Commonly, a homeowner will not realize that he has a raccoon living in his attic until it has babies, since the babies tend to be noisier and easier to notice.
Unfortunately, the longer a raccoon has to create a home in an attic space, the worse the space is likely to get. “The mom raccoon may have left a mess from the pregnancy and the birth up in the attic, and she will have probably been going to the bathroom up there for months as well,” Shaw says.
So what kind of damage can they do?
Raccoons can easily create the type of damage to an attic that necessitates the complete removal of the attic’s insulation. “This type of insulation removal can’t be done by just anyone, either,” Shaw explains. “To do the job right, you need a microbial treatment with live bacteria that will create enzymes, along with a detergent that can neutralize the harmful bacteria that is up there.”
In Orlando, an animal removal specialist is going to be the only person who can properly clean up the rotting flesh, feces, and urea that raccoons commonly leave behind. That is why getting the space cleaned up by a professional is so important. “I have seen attic damage from raccoons that got to the point where they actually came through the drywall,” Shaw says.
What is the cleanup process like?
The damage created by adult raccoons can be extensive, which is why homeowners in Orlando can expect to need an animal removal specialist who can spend at least eight to 12 days working on the project. “From start to finish, if they haven’t made it to the drywall, then eight to 12 days of cleanup time is about average,” Shaw says. “But if a homeowner doesn’t need insulation removal, then it probably won’t be much longer than just the eight days of work.”
The earlier that a homeowner catches the raccoons in his attic and notifies an exterminator, the easier the problem will most likely be to resolve. “So catching these things early on is a big deal,” Shaw says.
Although people can still live in their homes while this type of insulation work is going on, Shaw recommends that people find alternative housing for their children during the process since dust can get stirred up during the insulation removal. “If people do decide to remain at home during the process, then I recommend opening some windows and trying to get as much ventilation as possible.”
How much am I going to spend?
For insulation removal, Shaw says homeowners can expect to spend at least $2 per square foot. The replacement portion of the process will cost extra, and Shaw recommends that people call his office for an estimate on how much that type of work will come to.
Removing and re-installing insulation due to a raccoon infestation is a much different process than a standard insulation installation, and Shaw advises people to be careful about getting quotes on this type of job from a construction company. “If a contractor says he can help you with your pest problem, then he is probably doing the work illegally,” Shaw says. Contractors can do construction work on a home, of course, but they are not state certified to help people get rid of animals or pests. Therefore, those who truly want to be safe and secure should only call a pest removal specialist to take care of their raccoon infestation problems.
