For opossums, your attic is an excellent place to seek food, shelter, and build their nests. This is troublesome for several reasons. Not only can opossums bring disease into your home, but due to their size, they can also cause a significant amount of damage to your property. Discover three common ways opossums can damage your property and the steps you can take to effectively keep them out!
Once opossums find their way inside an attic, they often use pads of insulation to build their nests. They will create a comfortable nest by tearing the insulation apart and collecting the pieces. Insulation not only works well for their nests, but will also be used as their toilet. Torn and soiled insulation can lead to unpleasant smells throughout your home and an increase in your utility bills.
Another typical type of damage that can occur when dealing with an opossum infestation is damage to your electrical wires and cables. Opossums, unlike rodents, do not have progressively growing and robust front teeth. However, they do still tend to gnaw and can easily damage wires and cables within your attic. This could not only cause electrical issues, but could also lead to dangerous electrical fires.
As a larger pest, opossums can cause substantial damage to your roof or building structure when attempting to access your attic. Once inside, they will often expand their entry hole and create new points of entry to make it easier for them to quickly find their way in and out of the area.
Due to their extraordinary climbing abilities, opossums will often use nearby tree limbs, utility poles, or power lines to access your roof and enter your attic. At Critter Guard, our Line Guard and Pole Guard products are designed to prevent opossums and other critters from accessing your roof and attic via power lines, utility trees, and even trees. To learn more about our pest control products and how they can prevent opossums from damaging your home, contact us today!