How Much Does It Cost to Get Rid of a Raccoon?

Raccoons are nighttime animals quickly identified by the black “mask” on their faces, small, stocky bodies, and striped tails. Raccoons are regularly found in locations such as chimneys and attics, particularly when a female prepares to give birth; they prefer the enclosed, warm, completely dry spaces that most residences can give. Depending on food resources and access, you might likewise discover raccoons in your porch or barns. Removing raccoons need to be done by a specialist due to the fact that these pests can spread disease and make a substantial mess in your home.

Removal of the raccoons and covering the holes they used to get in costs around $350 to $500 generally, yet might cost even more if significant damage has actually been done. Read more about raccoon removal Houston.

Damage

Raccoons are inquisitive animals that often leave a big mess in their wake. This means that if you have raccoons nesting on your property, you are most likely to see substantial damage around your home, including:

Damages done to grass and veggie gardens as they forage for food.
Toppled wastebasket that were not tightly fastened.
Flattened or pressed insulation in the attic.
Damages to drywall and electrical wiring in the attic by nesting moms and young.
Damage to ductwork by entering raccoons.
Feces in swimming pools.

Health and Wellness Risks

In addition to the damage they can do to your property, raccoons bring a number of health risks also. The primary associated illness with raccoons is rabies, yet the pests can additionally carry canine distemper, which they can pass along to your pets. They might likewise have a sort of raccoon hookworm, which can become airborne and passed to humans via inhalation of their dried stool. Some raccoons may additionally be plagued with fleas or ticks, which they can spread throughout your residence, setting you back around $270 to treat.

Signs and Symptoms of Raccoon Infestation

Commonly the first indication that you might have raccoons in your home is the noise that they make during the night. Lots of raccoons are nocturnal, implying that they are awake during the night, and you might listen to the sounds of them scampering overhead in your attic or in your chimney after dark.

Not all raccoons are dormant during the day, however; those living in your home may be frequently detected during the daytime hours entering and exiting their living space. You may see raccoons on your roof, near vents, and various other possible openings. If a raccoon has died inside your house, the smell of the decomposing body will be strong and unpleasant, and this might tip you off to the presence of even more raccoons. Various other indications that a raccoon may be residing in your house is visible damage to the area where they have been living, along with raccoon feces in and around the area.

Labor

One of the most common method of dealing with raccoons on your property is trapping and removal. The raccoons are moved to a minimum of 10 miles from your property to stop their return; normally sick animals will certainly be euthanized.

In many cases, the pest removal service will include an inspection of your property totally free to identify the level of the infestation. This inspection consists of establishing the entry points of the raccoons, finding their numerous living areas, and establishing just how much damage has actually been done and where, and what actions is required to both protect against the raccoons from returning after removal, and exactly how to decontaminate the area and repair any kind of damages that has been made.

To trap the raccoons, a large cage trap baited with something like bread or marshmallows is used, with one trap required per raccoon. If there are dead raccoons, these are removed at the very same time; dead raccoons can often be challenging to reach, which can drive up the costs of removal to $275 to $300 per raccoon, with extra repairs required later.

Prevention

Preventing raccoons from occupying your house is the very best course of action to protect you and your family from the diseases and damage they spread out. There are several ways you can inhibit raccoons from entering your residence, and the majority are things you can do yourself free of charge or minimal expenses. These include:

Securing the lids on trash cans.
Connecting trash cans to a fencing or wall surface.
Sealing up or covering openings to attic rooms or chimneys, with expense of chimney caps beginning at $1,000.
Not leaving food or exposed trash near your house.
Bringing pet food in at night to keep it out of reach of raccoons.
Cutting trees back 6 – 8 feet from your house to prevent their climbing up into the attic.
Set up animal proof vents at $300 to $400 each.

Enhancement and Improvement Costs

While the majority of companies will offer removal, not all will certainly use remediation and clean up services.
If the problem is significant, or you have a repeat concern, you might want to take into consideration having exclusion barriers mounted for $10 to $20 a linear foot, with even more people paying around $100 to $200 to safeguard their homes.
You may also want to take into consideration having expert cleaning to manage the microorganisms and feces that are left behind for around $500.

Added Considerations and Costs

Raccoon removal should never be considered a DIY project. Raccoon bites can likewise be dangerous if the animal carries illnesses like rabies, which makes this project best left to the professionals.
Raccoon repellents are available, however most are considered inefficient. One technique that might have some success is to shine brilliant lights in the attic in addition to very loud songs. This may drive the raccoon out after 2 or 3 days.
Some repairs done after raccoon removal may be covered by your homeowner’s insurance; consult your insurance adjuster to figure out if this is covered by your plan.
Always make sure that any type of raccoons being transferred are taken at the very least 10 miles from your residence to prevent them from coming back.