Large pest cause serious issues here in Portland, OR. Whether it’s a raccoon, squirrel, or other large pest, your safety and your wallet could be affected in substantial ways if wildlife have decided to take up residence in your home.
In this post, we’ll go over what types of large pests you need to be on the lookout for, as well as the issues caused by these critters.
Is your home overrun with wildlife? EcoCare Pest Solutions can help get rid of them today. Contact us today or visit our wildlife page to learn more.
What type of wildlife causes home damage?
Just because an animal is cute doesn’t mean it can’t cause serious damage to your home. Wild animals will do what they please in order to survive – even if that means inflicting damage to your property.
Many homeowners don’t even know that some of these animals can do damage to their home. Since most large pests only do damage when they’re out of sight, some issues are a mystery until the pest is caught in the act.
Before we get into the issues that large pests can cause, here are the large pests you need to worry about coming onto your property and wreaking havoc:
- Raccoons: One of the most damaging pests,Raccoons have adapted to living with humans and are drawn in by the convenience of trash cans and human shelter
- Squirrels: Despite their size, Squirrels cause a lot of issues around Portland homes, including spreading disease and destroying property
- Opossums: Opossums are known for entering a space and nesting, stealing food, and leaving waste, causing serious damage and creating unpleasant odors
- Bats: Generally making a home in your attic or chimney, Bats can cause real problems in your home. In addition to carrying rabies and other diseases, Bats will leave droppings and cause unpleasant odors around your home.
Think your home or property has been infiltrated by a large pest? Get the help you need to safely and effectively remove them from your property. Remember, just because they haven’t caused issues yet does not mean they won’t in the future.
6 problems caused by raccoons and other large pests
Electrical damage
Large pests love burrowing into walls and ceilings. The shelter and warmth are particularly great for them in the wet and cold weather of Vancouver winters. Unfortunately, this can damage your electrical wiring. If pests have indeed gotten into your walls, then your electrical system may be compromised. Critters chew through electrical wires, leaving exposed wire and unsafe conditions in your walls. This can mean big trouble. Did you know that 9% of fires are started by electrical issues? And since you can’t even see if it’s happening, the risk is particularly potent.Insulation damage
While the large pests are in your walls, electrical wires aren’t the only thing they’ll be chewing on. Another common target of large critters is insulation. Chewing through the insulation in your walls and ceiling will lead to less effective insulation in your home and a weakened structure. They may even leave a nest in your insulation! Even critters just walking around will lead to a bad situation, as compressed insulation is not as effective and will need to be replaced. Thousands of dollars in replacements could be in your future.
Damage to your lawn and garden
Even if these animals don’t reach the inside of your home, plenty of damage can be inflicted on the outside of your home as well. Raccoons and Squirrels love to dig holes in lawns to hide their treasures, leading to destroyed lawns and plenty of lawn care costs you otherwise would never have to worry about. They’ll also dig up garden plants and other vegetation and chew on young tree bark. Worst yet, Raccoons are known to dig into and rip trash bags, spewing trash about your property. Once they’ve done this once, they’ll keep at it as they now know it’s a source for food.
Spread of disease
Simply put, one of the top ways for disease to spread into your home is through large wildlife entering your home and wreaking havoc. If wildlife have found their way in and made a home, they’ll be leaving droppings and urine. This waste will be left mere feet from where you live and breathe daily, causing respiratory issues and potential spread of disease. One possible disease is baylisascaris, a type of roundworm that can damage your nervous system or cause serious injury. Many large pests also carry rabies, meaning even their presence on your property can cause serious injury or death. Signs that a Raccoon or other large pest has rabies includes:- Disorientation and unsteady walking
- Uncommon voices, such as screeching or chattering
- Drooly and frothy mouths
- Paralyzed hind legs and difficulty moving
Lowered air quality
In addition to potentially giving you a disease, the feces and other waste deposited in your wall will leave the air quality in your home putrid. At first you will notice just a stink, which will only get worse and worse as time goes on. Even once you identify the issue, solving the problem completely will be hard since it will be difficult to identify the exact location it’s coming from. Other sources of rotting smell is food they’re storing decaying and going bad, and eventually the critters themselves dying in the walls and decomposing. The last thing you want you and your family to be doing is breathing in this air and having to smell the unpleasant odor day and night.
Exterior damage to your home
Lastly, large pests and wildlife can do a number on the structure of your home. Particularly troublesome areas include:- Roofs
- Siding
- Crawlspace
- Deck