How to Keep Wildlife Out of Your Home: A Chicagoland Exclusion Guide

A wild animal will repeatedly enter your home if you do not block its path. Professional wildlife exclusion seals these gaps to protect your home or business. This process stops future invasions and gives you lasting peace of mind.

Protecting Your Chicagoland Home from Wildlife

Hearing local wildlife scratching in your walls is very unsettling. Squirrels and raccoons often seek shelter in local attics. A bat might find a roost in your dark crawlspace.

When unwanted wildlife moves in, they cause severe property damage. They also create a health hazard for humans and pets. You must safely remove the animal first. Then, you must seal the house to keep wildlife out for good.

Why Trapping and Removal Is Not Enough

Many control companies rely only on trapping and removal. However, an open entrance remains an open invitation. Pests leave behind droppings and a strong odor.

Other pests will smell this ammonia scent and follow it inside. A homeowner might ignore the damage caused at first. However, you risk a full infestation if you wait. Wildlife intrusions will continue until you fix the core issue.

Common Animal Entry Points in Your House

Animals do not need large openings to get inside. A rat or rodent can slip through a tiny gap. You need a thorough home inspection to find these hidden animal entry points.

• Roof and Vents: A raccoon will often tear through a flimsy vent.
• Soffits and Fascia: A squirrel will gnaw through rotting wood along your siding and fascia.
• Chimneys: Uncapped chimneys look like hollow trees, making bird control necessary.
• Foundation and Basement: A skunk or opossum will burrow under your porch or deck. They can also enter your basement.
• Outbuildings: A fox or coyote might hide under a shed on your perimeter.

What Are Professional Exclusion Methods?

Effective exclusion methods permanently seal all potential entry points. We do not just use basic spray foam or simple caulking cracks. We use heavy-duty materials like hardware cloth to stop pests. This prevents a nuisance animal from entering a building again.

How We Seal Your Home

Standard critter control® tactics often fail over time. We use specialized materials for long-term damage repair and protection. We install custom metal to cover large structural gaps. We use quarter-inch diamond mesh to secure vulnerable vents. We also install underground barriers to stop a skunk from digging.

DIY vs. Expert Wildlife Control

You might be tempted to patch a hole yourself. However, sealing a hole early traps mice and rats inside. This creates a terrible fume problem and requires costly remediation.

Our wildlife specialists follow all guidelines to remove pests in a humane way. We use non-toxic, environmentally safe methods.

What Attracts Wildlife to Your Property?

Animals look for food, water sources, and a safe nest. Unsecured trash cans and feeders will attract birds and pests. Overhanging tree branches act as a highway to your roof.

Simple habitat modification and good sanitation make your landscape less appealing. Trimming branches around your home helps prevent wildlife encounters.

Pricing Factors and Long-Term Protection

The cost of wildlife control services depends on your home. Basic vent sealing costs less than full attic restoration. During mating season, non-native pests can cause damage quickly.

A thorough inspection lets us identify the exact scope of work. We explain the problem and provide a clear price before starting.

Quick Answers

• What is professional exclusion?
  Exclusion is the process of permanently sealing a building. It stops pests from getting inside.
• How do I keep animals out of my attic?
  You must repair damaged wood and cap your chimney. A professional inspection will reveal hidden gaps.
• Why do animals keep coming back?
  Animals leave scent trails that attract others. If you do not seal the gaps, new pests will follow those scents.
• Can I do pest control myself?
  DIY repairs often fail because standard materials cannot withstand chewing. You also risk trapping animals inside.

Take Back Your Home

Stop pests from treating your house like a hotel. The wildlife experts at Ampest Exterminating & Wildlife Control can help. We provide top-rated wildlife removal services in Chicagoland.

Call us today at (630) 543-3100. We are a trusted wildlife control company ready to serve you.

Key Takeaways

• Trapping animals without sealing entry points leads to repeat invasions.
• A bat can enter through holes the size of a dime.
• Common entry points include a roof vent, chimney, and siding.
• Expert control services use durable materials like galvanized metal.
• Dig defense stops a skunk or opossum from burrowing under a deck.
• Never seal a hole until you safely remove the animal.
• Trimming tree branches helps keep squirrels and raccoons away.
• Professional wildlife removal provides a permanent solution.