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How to Keep Raccoons Away From Your Downspouts

December 18, 2022

Raccoons, rats, and other small animals use your downspouts to climb up to your roof and nest in your attic or gutters. Small animals love creeping into small areas with moisture and warmth. As they grow comfortable, they would bring in materials from the site to create nests and multiply. Here are several ways to keep raccoons away from your downspouts.

Clean and Dry Gutters

Leaves, twigs, and debris are everything small animals need to nest in your attic. Remove them from your gutters regularly. Furthermore, any scattered paper, cartons, wood, and other materials in your attic can also be a source of materials that small animals use to create their nests.

Trim Tree Branches

Beautiful tree branches improve your aesthetics but also need trimming on a scheduled basis. Branches serve as jumping platforms for raccoons, rats, and mice, like your downspouts. During a storm, tree branches can also bend, break, and damage your roof after landing with intense impact. Trim them regularly and keep your roof safe and your attic free from small animals.

Downspout Obstacles

Small animals climb your downspouts to reach your roof. You can use pest spikes, baffles, or grease to make your downspouts challenging to climb.

Install pest spikes to deter raccoons from climbing without hurting them. Create vertical strips of pest spikes on all three sides of your downspouts. If pest spikes do not sit well with you, disc-shaped metal or plastic baffles prevent raccoons from climbing if placed high enough.

Animal-safe automotive grease ensures raccoons, rats, and other small animals will safely slip down on your downspout each time they attempt to climb. You can use alternative products that do not evaporate or get washed away easily.

No Food Left Outside

Food left for pets outside should be kept inside. Small animals will smell your pet's meals and eat them when they're away, or no one's looking. They may also follow the scent of the meals indoors, encouraging them to climb your attic and nest inside.

Animal Safe Repellents

Environmental and animal-safe repellents will discourage small animals from nesting inside gutters and attics. Consult animal control specialists about products that keep small animals away without harming them.

Birdhouses

Birdhouses encourage animals to nest inside of them instead of your gutters. You can find them in most hobby or hardware stores, and they have clear construction and installation instructions. While they're not always effective, they're a great way to divert most birds that fly straight to your windows, gutters, or attic.

Gutter Guards

Guards for gutters originally prevent twigs and leaves from entering your gutter system. The guards can also prevent the entry of small mice and birds into the gutter. Use patented gutter technologies instead of chicken and mesh wires to ensure it has a long lifespan and top-notch performance.

If you have yet to find a dependable roofer to help improve your downspouts or fix any gutter and attic issues, you can count on SJ Winn Construction to help with your needs. We've spent decades assisting homes in your neighborhood with our outstanding specialist team and dedication to high-quality workmanship. Call us today to get started with your roofing service.

CONTACT INFORMATION

156 Torrington Rd., Winsted,
Connecticut 06098

Phone: 860-379-8863
Email: sjwinnconstruction@gmail.com

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