How Do I Keep My Dallas/Fort Worth Home Wildlife-Free

Whether you live in the heart of Dallas and Fort Worth or the on the perimeter, you’ve probably seen some wildlife roaming around your yard. While it’s always exciting to see wildlife thriving in nature, you might not feel the same if you have wild animals in your backyard or inside of your home destroying your property.

Keeping your home free of local wildlife means that you can lower your risk of contracting diseases that some wild animals carry. You also won’t have to worry about animals destroying your property and wreaking havoc outside of your home. Want to lower your risk so you don’t have to worry? Thi article will show you everything you’ll need to know to keep wildlife away from your home.

What kinds of wildlife infest homes?

Many animals live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and your home can be an attractive place to live or find food. Some animals you might see around your home include squirrels, raccoons, opossums, skunks, armadillos, bats, and birds.

• Squirrels: Rodents such as squirrels can live in your attic. Damage caused by squirrels can include massive amounts of droppings and urine, gnawed wires, and destroyed keepsakes. They can also get into wall voids, causing incessant scratching noises.
• Raccoons: Raccoons love to search for food scraps, so they often make their way into your garbage cans. They can also get into your attic through broken screens, windows, gaps between gutters and the roof, and holes around soffits. Droppings, noise, and destruction make these animals troublesome.
• Opossums: Opossums can live under decks, within walls of human made structures such as residential homes, and in garages, sheds, or attics. It’s not unheard of for the occasional curious opossum to wander into your living space through doggy doors.
• Skunks: If you disturb a skunk, they can spray you or your pets, resulting in a significant odor problem that’s hard to get rid of. When coming into contact with residential properties, skunks typically can be found under decks or sheds. Sometimes one may wander into a garage if the door is left open overnight.
• Armadillos: Armadillos like to dig to find food and create dens, which can cause damage to properties. While digging for earthworms and grub, armadillos ruin landscaping, flower beds, and grass.
• Bats: Bats are nocturnal mammals that rest in holes in trees, under bridges, in attics and ceilings of barns and buildings, and in caves. If they find an opening to enter spaces within your attic, they’ll begin roosting. When an entry point continues to exist, bats will stay. Bats are harmless towards humans, but they leave behind guana (bat droppings) where they roost.
• Birds: Enclosed spaces such as attics (the most common), crawl spaces, vents, and chimneys are popular places for bird nesting within residential homes. Birds such as pigeons and starlings enter attics through broken vents, windows, and gaps. Attics provide a space that is protected against predators and the elements. Once inside, they lay eggs and raise their young, staying for several months on end. Even when the birds leave the roost, an unrepaired entry point can lead to nesting from additional birds in the area.

How do I prevent wildlife from getting into my home?

No matter what type of unwanted life you’ve had invade your home or yard, you can keep them from coming back. Keep in mind that the specific methods you choose will depend on the wildlife and the severity of the situation.

You can keep squirrels out of your home by sealing any openings around the roofline and securing your gutters. Trim back any branches that are touching your roof. Squirrels are very good climbers that nest in trees, so it’s simple for them to climb on to your roof and begin searching for entry points.

Opossums are also excellent climbers that can use tree branches to enter your attic. You can further deter opossums and raccoons by sealing your trash cans. Make sure the lid fits properly, and keep the trash cans inside your garage until you need to put them out for pickup.

If you have a problem with armadillos digging in your yard, consider putting up a fence. Make sure the fence doesn’t have any space underneath it or between panels where armadillos can get through. It should be at least 24 inches high at a 40 degree angle, and 12 inches deep into the ground to reduce the likelihood of armadillos burrowing under or climbing over.

If these tactics don’t work, professional wildlife control will. Trained professionals can remove wildlife and keep them away from your home. Call Certified Termite and Pest Control for fast and effective wildlife removal at your home.

Why does wildlife removal pricing vary between companies?

While shopping around for wildlife removal services, you may notice that the price of wildlife removal varies greatly. Some companies charge more or less based on a few factors, like the quality of the service. A higher-priced service could mean that the company uses quality materials, spend more hours on the job, provide a full guarantee, or they may offer follow up visits and free call backs if needed.

When comparing prices, you might find that some companies offer some type of guarantee. If the first visit doesn’t solve the wildlife problem, they will come back to correct the problem. These types of guarantees are likely to raise the price since the service is more thorough. The expertise of a company can also determine how much a service costs. Newer pest control companies won’t have as much experience, so they aren’t likely to charge as much.

How can Certified get rid of wildlife in my home?

Watching all of the DFW area wildlife is one of the great benefits of living in the area, but discovering wildlife that destroys your yard or gets into your home is stressful. That’s why the wildlife removal specialists at Certified Termite and Pest Control are here to help. Our specialized programs utilize professional tools, strategies, and in-depth knowledge of wildlife behavior to bring your home back to safety. To learn more about our wildlife trapping and removal programs, click here. For specialized bird and bat removal and home sealing services, click here. Ready to get started? Give us a call or fill out the contact form on this page to schedule a free wildlife inspection at your home!