The house is the equivalent of a nesting site for humans. It is where you go to rest, raise your family, eat your meals, and ultimately feel safe. Unfortunately, all of the things that make a house a home for people also make it an appealing prospect for animals. Determined wildlife will find structural vulnerabilities and capitalize on them, weakening them further until they become access points. Once inside, the animal will not stop its unintentional destructive behaviour as it forages for nesting materials. Often, homeowners will find that animals invading their attic space have also caused significant damage to the roof’s structural components, like the decking.
What Is Roof Decking?
The common name of roof decking is sheathing, and it is the foundation of your roof. It is the structure that connects the roof to the four walls below, laying across structural trusses, covering over the rafters, and supporting the weight of shingles and other roofing materials. To put it bluntly, roof decking is an integral part of the family shelter, and when it is damaged, it can cost tens of thousands of dollars to replace. While many things can weaken the structure and integrity of the decking, wildlife is among the top because while the animal is merely looking for shelter, it often leaves structural vulnerabilities in its wake.
Signs of Animals in Your Attic
Wildlife is not the best at hiding its tracks, especially in human-made structures, like houses. Unlike outside, when an animal urinates or defecates in your home, you will probably find evidence of it, and if you do not see evidence, you will eventually smell it. Depending on the animal, you might hear scurrying or squeaking sounds during the night coming from the ceiling. When you go up to inspect the noises, you might find signs of disturbed or torn insulation, damaged ductwork, or chewed beams and wires. Finding any evidence of wildlife should lead to an immediate call for wildlife control.
Potential Damage From Wildlife
In their search for food, warmth, water, and nesting materials, wildlife can cause significant damage to your house, especially the roof and attic space. In finding access, the animals likely left a hole in the roofline, which will now allow water and moisture to collect, weakening and contaminating both the interior and exterior structure. Rodents also need to continually wear down their teeth, meaning they almost always gnaw on wood, cable, metal, and wires.
Contacting a Professional for Help
While a homeowner will want to remove any wildlife from their home quickly, you must do so responsibly while maintaining distance and concern for your safety. Without adequate training, attempting to remove wildlife from a nest can be dangerous. Animals are unpredictable, and when they feel cornered, they can attack. Do not risk injury or infection because of impatience. Contact a wildlife technician to perform a proper inspection of your property to determine the type and number of wildlife present in your home. Once the specialist understands the situation better, they can prepare and provide a plan for humane wildlife removal and prevention.
Do you believe that you have animals living in your attic? Are you concerned wildlife is damaging your property? If so, contact Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control and schedule a property assessment. The company will send out a licensed technician as quickly as possible to inspect and investigate the property and provide a safe and responsible solution for you and the animals involved. Skedaddle is all about the protection of homeowners and wildlife because both are responsible for creating beautiful and engaging neighbourhoods. Without wildlife, people would not have the bountiful ecosystems that make Canada such a fantastic and beautiful place to live.
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