Photo Album: Chilly Raccoon Looking for Warmth in Asbury Park, NJ

Baby, it’s cold outside! And not just for us. There are plenty of wildlife looking for ways to escape the harsh outdoor elements and find their way inside our warm, private homes. Recently, a homeowner in Asbury Park, NJ contacted Cowleys because of unusual noise activity right above her bedroom ceiling. Raccoons, with their amazing manual dexterity and climbing skills, often find a way to access our attics. One of the most vulnerable areas of our home are the soffit areas underneath the roofline. All too often, we see damaged soffits or soffits that were not properly installed in the first place, giving the raccoons easy entry.

Dangerous Way to Get In

After inspecting the roofline area, it did not take long to find the entry point. As you can see in the photo, there was a large opening that a raccoon could easily crawl through (despite the large sharp nails sticking out of the wood nearby!)

Covering up the Entry Point

To make sure the raccoon enters the one-way safely, we framed out the rafters properly and covered the opening with plywood.

"Persuade" Them to Go Your Way

And cut a hole to minimize the entry point.

Prep Time!

I secured a temporary one-way device over the opening that allows animals to exit the home, but prevents their return. We put tape over the opening so that we know whether an animal has exited.

Safely Relocated, Time to Fix the Soffit

After the raccoon was outside and blocked from returning, we did the necessary repairs to prevent a re-infestation. Although wildlife can and do find their way into any home, often these infestations happen with homes that have some damage or are in need of repair. Wildlife has an amazing knack for locating and exploiting any weaknesses in a structure. Keeping your home well-maintained and performing repairs as needed will go a long important way preventing wildlife infestations

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