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Home and Garden

Protecting Your Haven – The Importance of Wildlife Exclusion

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Keeping wildlife out is essential for several reasons. While some animals may seem like a nuisance, many play a vital role in the ecosystem.

Wildlife exclusion is one of the most essential parts of an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy. It involves sealing gaps, cracks, and openings to prevent wildlife from entering a building.

Prevents Damage

Wildlife exclusion is a preventative form of pest control. Unlike traps and baits designed to kill pests, it focuses on keeping animals out of buildings. It is essential for homeowners nationwide since it can save them from expensive repairs.

The first step in wildlife exclusion Sacramento CA is thoroughly inspecting the property. It can include looking at chimneys, roof vents, foundation cracks, soffits, fascia, and gutters. It only takes an opening the size of a thumb for rats to enter a home, so looking for all possible entry points is critical.

Once potential entry points are identified, they can be sealed with various products such as hardware cloth, weather sweeps, caging, and pest-resistant sealants. These products can cover vents, close gaps in walls and foundations, and secure pipe openings. They can also be installed to discourage birds like pigeons and crows from landing on surfaces like rooftops, ledges, and courtyards.

Prevents Disease

Many homeowners use traps, poisons, and other DIY methods to get rid of animals that are causing damage to their homes. The problem is that these methods are often inhumane, and they can cause harm to other wildlife if they are used on large populations of animals. Wildlife exclusion services are humane and environmentally friendly, providing long-term protection against pests.

mouse
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Proper wildlife exclusion services are a great way to stop animal problems before they start. By preventing animals from entering structures, they will be forced to seek shelter outdoors where they belong instead of in your attic or crawl space.

The first step in wildlife exclusion is thoroughly inspecting your home or structure to identify potential entry points for wildlife and rodents. These can include chimneys, pipes, vents, and fascia. It only takes an opening the size of a thumb for squirrels or mice to enter your house, so a professional must inspect all possible entry points.

Prevents Recurring Problems

Wildlife exclusion prevents recurring problems like raccoon damage to roofs, attics, and shingles. It also helps with energy efficiency, decreasing extra costs for heating and cooling. It involves making structures less attractive to wild animals through repairs, sealing, and pest-proofing. Unlike traps and poisons, wildlife exclusion is not harmful to animals and does not require repeated treatment.

Instinctively, animals return to places they know offer warmth, food, and shelter. That is why DIY solutions, such as traps and poisons, are often short-term. The professional approach to wildlife exclusion is long-term and offers more permanent results.

 It involves building barriers around the home and property, including new walls, fences, chimney caps, and roof vents. It also includes securing gaps with hardware cloth, weather stripping, pest-resistant sealants, and covering pipe openings to prevent wildlife access.

Prevents Insects

When you employ preventative wildlife exclusion techniques like sealing entries, removing attractants, and inspecting your property regularly, you’re ensuring that any pests that have entered aren’t able to enter again. It is a much more humane approach to wildlife management than trapping, baiting, or relocating animals that have already invaded your home or business.

ants
Photo by Mikhail Vasilyev on Unsplash

Wildlife often gains building entry by gnawing open cracks in foundation walls, chimneys, and vents. They can also enter through soffit openings, plumbing pipes, and roof vents that must be adequately sealed. 

Even though nuisance animals like squirrels and raccoons seem annoying, they have their place in the ecosystem. They propagate trees and help regulate the population of other, smaller animals. Working with a professional for wildlife exclusion ensures they stay where they belong, away from your home.