Raccoons may look adorable, but they can be destructive. They will tip over your garbage, climb your gutters and downspouts, and find shelter in your attic.
Make sure you don’t tolerate this behavior from these animals. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself dealing with various forms of damage to your home.
Here are some effective ways to keep these small pests from climbing your downspouts.
Pest Spikes
Raccoons shimmy up your downspouts by hugging them and working their way upward. You can discourage them from climbing by gluing pest spikes on your downspouts. Ensure that you’ve glued the strips on all three sides of your downspouts, and set them at a high point so the raccoons can’t circumvent them by leaping to another platform and shimmying above the spike.
Baffles
These are disc-shaped metal or plastic pieces that look like inverted saucers. They typically surround your downspout and can physically stop raccoons from climbing your roof. Residential roofing companies also recommend placing them high enough to prevent raccoons from circumventing the baffles.
Greasing
Automotive grease can be used to cause raccoons to slip down your gutter while climbing. Even if they hug the material tightly, the greased downspout will still cause them to slide down and unlatch their claws as they try to get a grip. You don’t need to apply grease on the entire downspout. You can simply grease all 4 sides of a 24-inch section of the downspout.
What Should I Do With Attic Raccoons?
Raccoons you’ve found living in the attic should be left alone. Do not attempt to remove them yourself because they may be carrying diseases and harm you when threatened. Call animal control services, and allow them to collect the raccoons safely.
You can always count on Royal Roofing Construction to provide top-notch residential and commercial roofing services that suit your needs. Call us at (714) 680-0015, or fill out our contact form to get started. We proudly serve clients in Anaheim, CA, and nearby areas.
