Raccoons can cause a lot of damage to your home and create health concerns for you and your family. This can also cause more trouble when the raccoons reach your roof via your downspouts. To deter them from doing so and keep them off your property for good, here are four tips:
1. Trim tree limbs. Tree limbs growing over your roof must be trimmed. They serve pathways that the raccoons use to access your roof. Doing this also keeps leaves, twigs and other debris from collecting on your roof and gutters and causing clogs. Cutting off their access is one way of keeping them out of your gutters and downspouts.
2. Pest-proof your trash cans. Your outdoor trash cans should have secure lids that can’t easily be opened by critters. Raccoons are known to scavenge food in all places, including trash, which is why keeping your trash cans close can help stop them from coming to your property.
3. Don’t leave pet food outside. Before going to sleep, check if you still have leftover pet food outdoors. If so, bring it inside. Raccoons are more active at night, and when there’s food lying around in your yard, they’d be coming back for more. Cutting off their source of food is a good way of keeping them off your property and gaining access to your roofing system and gutters.
4. Install pest guards. Pest guards are designed to keep critters, especially raccoons, off your gutters and tree limbs with the use of nails, spikes or wire. They are wrapped around downspouts and trees, and will poke raccoons that attempt to climb over them. Make sure that these are out of the reach of young children to avoid accidents.
Roof Masters is the leading roofing company in the area. In addition to residential roofing services, we also specialize in gutter replacement and other emergency repairs. Call us today at (301) 230-7663, or fill out our contact form to request an estimate. We serve clients in Rockville, MD.