Raccoons break into Belmar, NJ roof via chimney.
Challenge
Residents of a home in Belmar, NJ were hearing thumping sounds in the attic. They knew there was some wildlife making a home up there and contacted Cowleys to remove the invaders. Initially, while performing my outside inspection, I could not find any obvious entry points. Squirrels and raccoons will often shred an opening around the roofline to gain access and their “construction work” is quite noticeable.
After a more thorough inspection on the roof, I found the answer to the mystery. Raccoons were gaining access into the attic through the attic fan. While attic fans are extremely important, the wildlife technicians often have to deal with one of their common downsides: these openings are often exploited by wildlife to gain access inside. The “manufacturer’s standard” ceiling fan cover used to deter wildlife from entering when the fan isn’t running is often a fairly flimsy piece of mesh, either metal or some kind of poly-based cloth. Sometimes, we see attic fan covers that are already damaged from the outdoor elements before wildlife takes advantage of the opportunity. And these covers don’t offer much of a deterrent. They are no match for the razor-sharp teeth and claws of a determined raccoon or squirrel.
Solution
I set box traps on the roof and installed a one-way device over the attic fan. A one-way device allows the animals to leave, but it’s a one way trip. They are blocked from gaining access back inside. I was able to successfully capture and relocate all of the raccoons. They weren’t too happy about it, but i did not give them a choice!
To prevent re-infestations, it is important not only to identify the wildlife entry points, but also to fix them. As shown in the photo, to exclude any raccoons from using this attic as their home, I installed a tough galvanized steel mesh cover that fits over the entire outside of the attic fan. With this access point blocked, it will be a long time before any more raccoons weasel their way into this Belmar attic!
