What Should I Do, I Have An Animal In My Attic?
I recently had a real learning experience and I build custom homes for a living! After living in our Orlando home for 5 years, we heard the pitter, patter of little feet in our attic one night. Action needed to be taken, before one became many.
I have been through the animal trapping experience before and found the services expensive and ineffective. Many trap the animals, but do not repair the areas where the animals get in. Guess what, new one’s take up residence! I decided to purchase an animal trap and fix the holes myself.
Well, after a month in the trapping business here are my conclusions:
1. Any gaps larger than an inch will enable animals to get in your attic space. You know that big fluffy squirrel you see, well picture him without hair. I know it’s “X” rated but that’s how small a hole they can crawl into.
2. I would bet money, that most of the attics (90%+) in our subdivision have animals in them. If you don’t know that your attic is animal free, then you probably have attic residents. Trust me on this one!
3. In the past month I caught 1 cat, 2 possum, 2 raccoons and a squirrel. These were all caught in my back yard.
4. An animal trap costs only $20 at Harbor Freight, and it’s easy to use. You can always release your catch down at “Occupy Orlando”.
5. Fixing the holes up on the roof can mostly be repaired with rat wire and spray foam. Most handymen can handle this job.
6. Unless you protect your attic you either have animals up there or will have some visitors soon.
7. When the weather gets colder we like to stay warm inside, so do all the critters that live outside!
8. If your wife tells you she hears something in the attic, she’s probably right. No, the noise is not from an animal walking on the roof tile, it’s in your attic. I can hear your wife now, “see Joe I told you we had animals!” Thanks, Mike.
9. Your neighbors are having the same problem you are. They’re just not telling you they have rats in their attic too. It’s not something most people are proud of.
10. Drive around the subdivision once, just before dark and count the number of squirrels you see. Guess what, they’re all living in your neighbors attics!
11. Buy a rat and a mouse trap (Publix) and use peanut butter as bait in your attic. Better nail or chain the trap down as those critters can get BIG!
12. The metal vents on your roof should all have rat wire wrapped around them. They come with a small piece of wire mesh over the opening (sometimes) to keep the animals out. Well, the animals must all be smaller in China where they make the vents as I hear the people eat the bigger ones. That little piece of wire mesh won’t keep healthy Orlando animals out of your attic!
13. Next time you’re out walking around your house, take a look at your aluminum soffit. Follow it down until you are looking at the spot where the soffit meets the roof tile. You’ll see a little gap (yeah, it’s right at the “V”) where they meet (unless, a raccoon has already lifted it up with his back to make the opening bigger for his family). The builders leave it there so the animals have a way of staying warm in the winter. I guess it’s a Green Building feature. Lol. Stuff rat wire into that opening and spray foam it in place. If you just use foam without the wire the animals will dig it out and get back in. You have to use rat wire with the foam.
14. If you find you have company in your attic, set traps in your back yard for a week or two. Then plug up all the holes on your roof you can find. Set traps in your attic with peanut butter bait (yeah, I know “Jiff” it’s not just for kids). Then wait…
Don’t worry; your wife will let you know if you still have critters. Wives can hear them cause they don’t have to deal with the problem! If you’re lucky you got’em all! If not, you will start to smell something that reminds you of you Gym locker back in high school. It’s not a good sign!
Yeah, I know, only your wife can smell it! Resist your wife’s demands that you go up in the attic on a wild goose chase with flashlight in hand. You won’t find anything! Tell your wife to get some potpourri and open it in the room where she thinks she smells something. Wait, it out. The smell will go away in about a week once the carcass dries out.
If all else fails call in the professionals. Just make sure they plug up every possible point of entry. This is the most important part and where the professionals can let you down. Look at your home critically, where can a small critter possibly gain entry? Make sure the pros do a good job so you don't have to deal with this issue again.
Better get this all done before the holidays when your mother-in-law comes to visit! They will definitely have you out numbered. If you think your wife can nag, wait until you meet the person she learned it from! Lol.
Happy hunting!
I hope this help out. At Regal Classic Homes, we incorporate various techniques to prevent animals from entering your Orlando, new custom home, addition or remodel. Now you know what to do when you have an animal in your attic.
P.S.: It was not my intention to offend anyone with this post, only to add a little humor to an annoying issue. I love my mother-in-law!
Have an awesome day!
Mike
www.regalclassichomes.com
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