Ways to Weatherproof Your Home For Wildlife

Wait a Few Days

If, at any point in your inspection, you uncover an entrypoint for animals or bugs to enter, plug the hole with temporary components.

For example, don’t use spray foam right out of the gate. Instead, use insulation or cloth and wait a few days before fully critter-proofing your home.

You don’t want to trap any wildlife in your home as you seal it. First, you want to make sure there’s nothing in there. Then, you can officially seal the entrypoint.

Of course, there are the issues surrounding the inhumanity of trapping an animal. Second to that, there’s also the issue of the smell that can come from an animal that has, unfortunately, died somewhere within the structure of your house.

Check the Siding and Roof

Next, it’s time to continue upwards as you protect your home from wildlife. You can walk the perimeter of the house to check the siding for any signs of destruction.

In many homes, you can see the stark line that differentiates the foundation from the start of the siding. This is one of the most important areas to check when keeping wildlife out of your home. You want to make sure nothing burrowed up and under the siding.

Along the roofline, you’ll also want to check for any holes or warped siding that’s pulled away from the structure.

Again, anywhere housing materials come together, there’s an opportunity for the outside elements to invade. Pay careful attention to corners as you draft your wildlife-proofing plan.

Go Into the Attic

Once you feel like the exterior of the home is secure, head to the attic. This may be the most important stage as you animal-proof your home.

The first thing you can do is examine the floor for any signs of animal droppings. You’ll also want to keep an eye out for any signs of chewing or nesting materials including insulation that’s been pulled down or outside elements like leaves and sticks.

Next, it’s important to inspect crosspoints between the roof and the trim. If you have any gables, take a closer look at them, too. It all goes back to any sort of merging of materials when wildlife-proofing your property.

Typically, exhaust vents are covered with light screening.

But, these are no match for a squirrel or raccoon. If you see any signs of damage to the screens, you might have to consider that a small rodent has entered the attic.

Don’t immediately seal it up, however. Take a few days before sealing home from pests at the suspected entrypoint with insulation or cloth to ensure you’re not trapping any animals in the attic before sealing the hole.

Although you’ll probably have a flashlight in-hand, it’s best to turn it off for a few moments. Conduct this inspection during the daylight and, with the lights off, any areas that are letting in light are also letting in air and creating potential entry points for animals. These, too, will need to be addressed as you’re wildlife-proofing your home.

Check Your Chimney

Protecting your home from animals and wildlife includes a close inspection of the chimney if you have one. You can check it from the inside, looking up, or the outside, looking down.

Start with the inside by opening the flue and casting a light up the chimney. Be sure to check the damper and smoke shelf for anything that may have taken up residence.

It’s not a bad idea to have the chimney regularly cleaned to prevent wildlife infestations in your home. If you call a chimney sweep, they’ll not only clean the airways for you, but also check to make sure no wildlife is present.

As an added layer of precaution, you can also ask them to install a chimney cap that’s bird- and rodent-proof.

Keep Things Clean

As a general rule, the more you keep your gutters and the area surrounding your home clean, the more likely you are to prevent wildlife from entering your home.

If there are mounds of leaves all around, it’s likely something will choose to nestle in there. The same goes for the roof and gutters.

Part of wildlife-proofing your home means keeping branches and trees at least six feet away from your house, as well. This limits the access animals have to various entry points.

Of course, you don’t want to leave garbage outside or set up compost areas that aren’t well-secured. These are open invitations to all manner of bugs and wildlife species.

Ways to Weatherproof Your Home For Wildlife Today

No matter the season, now is always the right time for weatherproofing your home for wildlife and common home pests. In the winter months, you don’t want animals seeking shelter in the warmth of your home.

Conversely, in the hot summer months, you don’t want to welcome bugs and other rodents into your home. Always be vigilant for sealing home from pests anywhere throughout the exterior, as even the tiniest crack can become an open door for wildlife.