Where animals get in
Most of the openings we find are at the roof edge, not at ground level.
- Where two roof lines meet
- Gaps behind gutters and at the ends of the fascia
- Attic louvers and gable vents without screens
- Chimneys without a cap
- Gaps in the stone foundation and around pipes
- The space under porches and back steps
A check to do each fall
Walk around the house on a sunny day, with binoculars if you have them. Look for chewed wood at the roof corners, a vent cover that is bent or missing, dark staining around a small gap, and fresh digging under the porch.
Trees and the roof
Oak and maple branches over the roof give squirrels and raccoons a bridge. Keeping branches back from the roof makes it harder for them to reach it.
Close gaps only when the house is empty
Sealing a gap with an animal or its young inside traps them, and they will chew another way out or die in the wall. If you hear anything inside, call before you close it.