Raccoons get into a house from the roof. They climb a tree, a downspout or a fence to reach the roofline, then pull open a weak spot with their hands: a loose soffit panel where two rooflines meet, a thin gable vent screen, a gap at the fascia board, or a chimney with no cap. Once one is in the attic, it nests in the insulation and comes and goes through the same hole. Michael Gerbino of Cypress Critters & Pests finds that opening, gets the raccoon out alive and seals it. Call 713-775-8799.
Where on the roof do raccoons break in?
A raccoon does not need a big hole to start with. It needs a spot it can get its fingers into. These are the places Michael checks first on houses around Spring, Cypress and the rest of north Houston:
- Roof returns. Where a lower roof meets the wall of a second story, there is often a short section of soffit with a gap behind it. This is the most common raccoon door on two-story homes.
- Soffit panels. Vinyl and thin aluminum soffits pop out of their channels when a raccoon pulls on them. Older wood soffits rot at the joints and push in.
- Gable vents. Many have only window screen behind the louvers. A raccoon tears the screen and walks in.
- Fascia gaps. Where the fascia board has pulled away from the roof deck, a raccoon can widen the gap until it fits.
- Chimneys. An open flue is a dark, dry shaft that a raccoon can climb down and den in, often on the smoke shelf above the damper.
- Roof vents and plumbing boots. Plastic roof vents can be chewed or pried loose, and the flashing around pipes can be lifted.
How does a raccoon get up on the roof?
Raccoons are strong climbers with grip like hands. Tree limbs that touch or hang over the roof are the easiest route. After that come downspouts, the corner where a fence meets the house, trellises, and the brick or stone on a chimney. A raccoon that has climbed your house once will use the same route every night, which is why the muddy prints or scratch marks you find on a downspout are worth pointing out during the inspection.
Why did a raccoon pick my house?
Raccoons look for a safe, dry den close to food. An attic beats a hollow tree on both counts. Food nearby makes it more likely: pet food left outside, open trash cans, bird seed, fallen fruit, or a compost pile. In late winter and spring, a mother raccoon is looking for a quiet place to have her young, and an attic is about as quiet as it gets. Once a raccoon has used an attic, the scent stays and draws others to the same house.
What does a raccoon do once it is inside?
It flattens and tears insulation to make a nest, uses one corner of the attic as a toilet, and can pull apart air conditioning ductwork. You usually hear it at night as heavy walking or thumping. Do not go up and try to chase it out. Keep children and pets away, and never reach toward a raccoon or try to handle one, healthy-looking or not.
Why does trapping the raccoon not fix the problem?
Trapping one raccoon leaves the hole it made wide open. The next raccoon in the area finds it by scent, and the house is back where it started in a few weeks. That is why Michael treats the opening as the real problem. He removes the raccoons alive, checks for young before anything is closed, then seals the roofline with heavy mesh and metal they cannot pull apart, and repairs the damage. That full process is animal exclusion and humane live trapping, and it is what keeps the next raccoon out.
Call 713-775-8799 if you have found torn soffit, a pulled-off vent screen or prints on a downspout.
How does Michael handle a raccoon in the attic?
- He inspects the roofline and the attic and shows you where the raccoon is getting in.
- He checks for young. A mother shut out of the attic will tear a new hole to get back to them.
- He catches the raccoons in live cage traps or lets them out through a one-way door. They are removed alive and handled following Texas rules.
- He seals every opening and repairs the soffit, vent or fascia that was torn.
- He cleans up the nest and the soiled insulation the raccoon left behind.
When should I call?
Call as soon as you hear heavy movement at night or see damage along the roofline. A raccoon does more damage the longer it stays. Read more on the raccoon removal page, and if you are in Cypress, see raccoon removal in Cypress.
Think a raccoon has found a way in? Call or text Michael at 713-775-8799.
Questions people ask about how raccoons get in
Will a raccoon tear a new hole if the old one is closed?
Yes, if it is still inside or if its young are inside. A raccoon shut out from its babies will rip through soffit, vents or even the roof deck to get back to them. That is why the order matters: every raccoon comes out first, the attic is checked for young, and only then is the opening sealed for good.
Can raccoons come into the house through a pet door?
They can, and they often learn it fast if pet food is kept near the door. A pet door is a ground-level way in, separate from the roof. If a raccoon is using one, lock it at night, move the pet food, and have the roofline checked too, because a raccoon that knows your house may be trying more than one way in.
What time of year do raccoons move into attics most?
Late winter and spring, when mothers are looking for a safe place to raise young. That is also when it is most important to check for babies before sealing anything. Raccoons use attics all year, though, so a raccoon in the fall or summer still needs the same inspection, removal and sealing.
