Scratching or Squeaking in Your Attic? Common Home Wildlife Issues
It’s always disconcerting to wake up to a strange noise in the middle of the night. An intruder will probably be your first concern but if you hear thumping, scratching and squeaking coming from above your head, a wild intruder is probably the culprit. The Raleigh area is home to several species of wildlife that are known to invade attics. Wild animals like our attics because they offer shelter, privacy, warmth and darkness; all things that can be difficult to come by in nature.
If you’ve got an animal rustling in your attic, listening to the kinds of noises it’s making can help you identify your unwanted guest. Read on to learn about the wildlife species that often invade attics in Raleigh, the weird noises they might be making, and the problems their presence can create.
Identifying Wildlife in Attic by Sounds They Make
Squirrels – A mix of squeaking and scratching noises in your attic are most likely caused by one or more squirrels. Squirrels are diurnal, which means you’ll likely hear them rustling in the attic during the day time. Squirrels can easily climb onto your roof or jump down from an overhanging tree. From there, they often gain entrance to your attic by gnawing their way through the fascia board. Within your attic, squirrels will continue gnawing at everything from insulation to wood boards to electrical wires, a bad habit that can start house fires. In addition to this destructive behavior, squirrels are known to spread diseases, including tularemia and leptospirosis.
Racoons – Loud rustling in your attic, along with scratching, thumping and strange vocalizations, is indicative of a raccoon presence in your home in Raleigh. Raccoons are nocturnal, and homeowners typically hear them thumping about at night. Like squirrels, raccoons have no trouble clambering onto roofs and breaking into your attic. In fact, raccoons are strong enough that they will sometimes tear apart your roof shingles just to get inside! While raccoons don’t gnaw as incessantly as squirrels do, they’re likely to rip up insulation and other materials to make nests. They’ll also scatter their waste, which can spread diseases like salmonella and parasites like roundworms. Never attempt to remove a raccoon from your attic yourself, as they’re aggressive fighters that can carry the deadly rabies virus.
Bats – When you hear high-pitched squeaking and fluttering noises coming from your attic, it’s a sure sign that you have a bat infestation. Since bats are nocturnal hunters, they’re usually the noisiest when exiting your attic in the evening and returning in the early morning. Bats can’t tear a hole in your roof shingles or fascia boards the way that raccoons or squirrels can, but their ability to fly allows them to easily locate existing openings, such as those often found around utility vents. Bats can squeeze through a hole as small as ½ inch in diameter, meaning that even the smallest nook or cranny is usually enough for them to infiltrate your attic. Bat droppings, called guano, are extremely corrosive to attic floors and will also contaminate insulation. Guano is also known to spread histoplasmosis, while bats themselves are the most common spreaders of rabies in the Raleigh area. Bats are protected by law and will probably require professional help to remove.
Do You Need Wildlife Removed From Your Attic?
If you’re hearing animal noises coming from your attic, then it’s time to call a wildlife control company to remove the offending critters. Connect with Sustainable Pest Systems today if you want our help to remove wild animals from your attic in the Raleigh area!