Has a Raccoon Gotten Into Your Roof? Here's What to Look For
Your attic is meant to be a protected and peaceful space—not a den for wild intruders. But raccoons, with their sharp claws and strong, dexterous paws, are notorious for forcing their way into homes through weak points in the roof. Once inside, they can cause extensive damage to insulation, wiring, and wood structures.
If you’re wondering, “Has a raccoon gotten into my roof?”, the answer could be hiding in the sounds, smells, and signs left behind. Catching these warning signs early can prevent long-term damage and costly repairs. Here’s what to watch for—and how Humane Homes Wildlife Removal can help with no harm wildlife removal solutions.
Common Signs a Raccoon Has Invaded Your Roof
Torn or Missing Shingles or Vent Covers: Raccoons are strong and determined when it comes to gaining access to shelter. They will tear up shingles, rip off roof vents, or pry open fascia boards to find an opening. These animals typically create entry holes that are 3 to 5 inches in diameter—large enough for them to squeeze through, but small enough to escape casual detection from the ground. Damaged shingles or warped rooflines are some of the earliest visual signs of intrusion.
Noises at Night: Being nocturnal, raccoons are most active after dark. Homeowners often report loud scratching, scurrying, thumping, or chattering sounds coming from the attic or ceiling late at night. If the noises occur repeatedly, particularly after sundown, there’s a strong chance you’re dealing with a wildlife issue—potentially raccoons, but also possibly bats in attic or squirrels.
Shredded Insulation & Droppings: Inside the attic, raccoons often tear up insulation to create nests for themselves or their young. This not only reduces your home’s energy efficiency but also creates an unsanitary and hazardous environment. Raccoon droppings and urine can carry parasites such as raccoon roundworm and bacteria like leptospirosis, posing serious health risks to humans and pets.
Strong Odors or Visible Nesting: A raccoon's presence doesn’t go unnoticed for long. The buildup of droppings, urine, and nesting materials—like leaves, twigs, and insulation—produces foul odors that can seep into your home. You might also spot fur clumps or signs of nesting when inspecting your attic. If these signs are visible, immediate wildlife removal is recommended.
Why You Should Act Quickly
Structural Damage
Raccoons may look cute, but they are powerful animals capable of causing serious destruction to your home—especially your roof and attic. With strong claws and incredible determination, they can rip apart shingles, fascia boards, soffits, and roof decking to gain entry. Once inside, they often tear through attic insulation, vapor barriers, and even HVAC ductwork, leaving a path of destruction that reduces your home’s energy efficiency and drives up utility costs.
Over time, the repeated stress caused by raccoon activity—like digging, clawing, and nesting—can weaken the overall structural integrity of your attic and roof. In severe cases, sagging ceilings, water intrusion, and compromised support beams can result from long-term damage. If left unaddressed, you may face thousands of dollars in repairs or even require full roof replacement.
Health Hazards
Raccoons don’t just damage your home—they can also threaten your family’s health. Their feces and urine often carry dangerous pathogens, including raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis), leptospirosis, and salmonella, which can become airborne and enter your living space through HVAC systems or attic ventilation.
In addition, raccoons are common hosts for fleas, ticks, mites, and lice—parasites that can spread throughout your home and onto your pets and loved ones. This can create a secondary infestation that lingers long after the raccoon is gone. A contaminated attic can also harbor mold and bacteria, leading to respiratory issues, allergic reactions, and other serious health concerns.
Electrical Fires
One of the most dangerous threats posed by raccoons in your attic is their tendency to chew on wiring. Like many rodents, raccoons instinctively gnaw on things to keep their teeth from growing too long. Unfortunately, this behavior can result in exposed or severed electrical wires within your walls or ceiling.
This presents a major fire hazard. Frayed wires can spark and ignite nearby insulation or wood framing, leading to electrical shorts, circuit failures, or even catastrophic house fires. In some cases, homeowners aren’t even aware of the damage until it’s too late. If you’ve noticed flickering lights, tripped breakers, or power surges after hearing attic activity—these could be signs of chewed wiring caused by raccoons.
Raccoon Removal the Right Way
At Humane Homes Wildlife Removal, we specialize in ethical, no harm wildlife removal methods that protect both your property and the animals we remove. Our team is trained to handle raccoons and other intruders like bats in attic with the highest level of care and professionalism.
Comprehensive Inspection & Assessment: Our trained wildlife specialists perform a detailed inspection of your roof, attic, and surrounding exterior to identify entry points and evaluate damage. We document all findings and offer clear next steps.
Live, Humane Trapping & Relocation: We do not use harmful poisons or lethal traps. Instead, we implement humane solutions such as live traps and one-way exclusion doors. These allow raccoons to leave safely without being harmed—ensuring compliance with local wildlife laws and our commitment to ethical treatment.
Exclusion & Repair: Once the raccoons have been safely removed, we seal all points of entry using durable materials like steel mesh, flashing, and custom-fitted barriers. Our exclusion work comes with a 2-year guarantee, so you can feel confident that your attic is protected for the long haul.
Cleanup & Restoration: We thoroughly clean, disinfect, and restore affected areas of your attic. This includes removing contaminated insulation, deodorizing the space, and installing fresh insulation if needed. Our goal is to leave your home healthier, cleaner, and fully protected.
If you suspect raccoons—or other wildlife like bats in the attic—have made their way into your home, don’t wait. The sooner you act, the easier it is to prevent further damage and protect your home and family. At Humane Homes, we offer raccoon removal, wildlife removal, and no harm wildlife removal services tailored to your needs. Contact us today to schedule an inspection and take the first step toward restoring peace and safety to your home.
