Your outdoor living space can be built around a beautiful deck that you can use for both relaxation and fun. While this area may seem peaceful, it’s easy for the peace to be broken when animals like raccoons decide to make it their own. These masked thieves can be a bother and even put your health and safety at risk. Raccoon-proofing your deck is important to make sure you can enjoy a clean outdoor place without having to worry about animals.
How to Understand Raccoon Attraction:
Several things make raccoons want to hang out on decks:
Roaches can build dens on safe decks and out of the way for themselves and their young.
Being close to food sources: Decks are often near garbage cans and gardens, which are places where raccoons can find food. This makes it easy for them to get to these food sources.
Protection: Decks offer shelter from the weather and possible threats, which makes them appealing places to nest.
Ways to keep raccoons out:
To keep raccoons away and your deck free of other animals, try these things:
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Seal all points of entry:
Any holes in your deck’s structure are easy for raccoons to get through. Do a full check to find any cracks, holes, or gaps that raccoons could use to get in. To keep people from getting inside the deck, seal these places with galvanized steel mesh, wood, or another suitable material.
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Keep trash cans safe:
Raccoons may be drawn to the smell of food. Animal-proof trash cans should be used or trash should be kept in a locked bin. Clean and disinfect your trash cans often to get rid of smells that could attract rats.
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Get rid of food sources:
Raccoons may come into your home overnight if you leave out bird boxes, pet food, or water sources. Pick up any bird seed that has dropped and keep pet food containers safe inside.
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Make the Space Clear:
Don’t put anything on your deck that a raccoon could use as a place to hide. Cut back any tree branches that could lead to your deck.
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Lights and sprinklers that turn on when motion is detected:
Raccoons are active at night. Motion-activated lights that flash when they get close to your deck at night can scare them away. Sprinklers that turn on when someone walks by can also be a nasty surprise.
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Use barriers that keep raccoons out:
Along the bottom of your deck, you might want to put up actual barriers like galvanized steel mesh or lattice. Raccoons can’t get under because of this.
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Bug sprays:
If you want to keep raccoons from hanging out on your deck, you could use ammonia-soaked rags or professional raccoon deterrents. But these don’t always work 100% of the time.
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Proper maintenance:
Keep your deck in good shape by sealing any holes, repairing any loose boards, and making sure there are no places that raccoons can get through. Not only does regular care keep raccoons out, but it also makes your deck last longer.
Help from professionals: If the raccoon trouble doesn’t go away despite your efforts, you might want to get help from a professional. Professional wildlife removal services can trap and move raccoons in a way that is safe and gentle, making sure they don’t come back.
In conclusion, A deck that is free of raccoons is necessary for making an outdoor place that is safe and enjoyable. By using these ways to keep raccoons out, you can enjoy your deck without having to deal with the noise and damage they can cause. When you deal with raccoons, remember to be responsible and kind. Respect their place in the environment and make sure they don’t stay too long in your outdoor sanctuary.
At Raccoon Control Barrie, we love helping out the communities we are a part of. We are local technicians who want to make a difference in people’s lives by doing what we do and know best. Our line of work is risky, yet rewarding after seeing clear results and seeing smiles return on people’s faces. We believe in the safe and ethical treatment of all raccoons and make sure that their well-being is never compromised during or after the raccoon removal process. Raccoons are very unpredictable animals that can act very friendly or very aggressive.