Wildlife Removal - One way out for Raccoons in Carteret, NJ
Upon arrival, it did not take much detective work to find the access point into the attic. A raccoon had ripped open a massive hole in the soffit. Raccoons have tiny human-like hands complete with five digits, including a thumb. However, instead of delicate fingernails, they have strong, powerful claws. Raccoon hands give them tremendous dexterity for grabbing and tearing. They have a distinct knack for finding weak spots in a home, for example, soft or rotting wood from water damage. They exploit these weaknesses, easily ripping them open to gain access. Also, as with this home, soffits, the underside of overhanging eaves that bridges the gap between a home's siding and the roof, are a prime target for wildlife entry. Because they are usually made of vinyl, soffits are a soft, easy material for animals to claw through. During my exterior inspection, I always pay extra careful attention to this exterior part of the home. I was surprised that the damaged soffit was not addressed during the home inspection. Possibly, the access point was much smaller, and the raccoons had recently expanded it over the past couple of weeks. Most important, I'm glad that the homeowner contacted Cowleys so that we could get her attic back into tip-top shape before winter - and before the raccoons had an opportunity to cause even more damage.