Homeowners on Walnutwood Lane in Germantown, Maryland, never heard any noise coming from the attic or saw any raccoons on their property, so they were surprised when they found out raccoons were living in the attic. The homeowners immediately called our Maryland raccoon removal specialists to inspect the attic and roof for raccoon damage. Our wildlife control technician took several photos of the damage including the photo below.
Raccoon feces and urine were found throughout the attic, covering every square foot of the rolled-in insulation. Raccoon urine had saturated the insulation in several areas so bad that the sheetrock ceiling underneath started to show stain marks in the bedroom below the attic. Overall, the damage directly and indirectly caused by raccoons in this house included:
- Roofing shingles were ripped off at the back corner of the roof.
- A 4×4” hole in the back corner of the roof (this is how the animal gained entry into the attic).
- Water damage and wood rot on the back wall where the rain was coming in through the hole in the roof.
- Ripped-off insulation around the heating and cooling ductwork in the attic.
- Flattened and urine-soaked rolled-in attic insulation.
- The stained ceiling in one of the bedrooms.
We should point out, however, that raccoon damage in this Germantown home was more extreme than most of the homes we inspect. Raccoons have had free rein for a while before homeowners noticed the signs of trouble. Because extensive repairs were necessary, our technician advised the homeowners to contact their insurance company. Most homeowners insurance policies cover the cost of damage caused by raccoons, including damaged attic insulation. However, homeowners insurance companies do not cover the cost of raccoon trapping and raccoon removal. Our technician set humane live-capture traps to trap and remove the raccoons that were living in the attic and installed a one-way door over the hole that the raccoon ripped open in the roof. After the raccoons were removed, the technician cleaned out the damaged attic insulation and installed new insulation. He also repaired the damage to the roof and replaced the rotted wood in the back wall.
Do You Have Raccoons in Your Attic?
If you hear noises coming from the attic in the evening or during the night, then you may have a raccoon infestation. The sooner you have invasive wildlife removed from your home, the less damage will occur. Not every homeowner can hear critters in the attic, and sometimes it’s impossible to see the holes that nuisance wildlife rips open in the roof. This is why it’s important to look in the attic once or twice a year to make sure it hasn’t become home to intrusive wildlife. If you suspect that a critter is living in your attic, contact our Maryland wildlife removal experts right away to get your attic inspected and the wildlife removed.