Raccoon Removal in Southern Maryland

Strong, smart and determined

Raccoons are strong enough to tear open roof vents, soffits and shingles to reach a sheltered attic or chimney. Females often look for a safe place to raise their young in spring. Once inside, raccoons can damage insulation, ductwork and wiring, and they tend to use one area as a latrine, which creates a serious sanitation problem.

Raccoons can carry diseases, including rabies and roundworm, so they should never be approached or handled.

How Home Fixer handles it

• Inspect. We confirm raccoon activity, find the entry point and check for young.
• Humane removal. We use humane removal methods and make sure young raccoons are removed along with the mother.
• Repair and seal. We repair torn roof areas, vents and soffits and install sturdy exclusion under our Maryland Home Improvement Contractor license.
• Clean up. We remove droppings and contaminated materials, with attic remediation when needed.

Chimneys, decks and crawl spaces

Raccoons also move into uncapped chimneys and under decks and porches. We can close those areas off so they are no longer attractive denning spots.

Raccoons in chimneys

An uncapped chimney looks a lot like a hollow tree to a raccoon, and females often raise their young on the smoke shelf in spring. If you hear chattering or crying from the fireplace, do not light a fire and do not try to smoke the animals out.

We remove the mother and young using humane methods, then install a sturdy chimney cap so no other animal can move in. The same approach works for other openings raccoons use, with heavy-duty materials that stand up to their strength.

Because raccoons are so strong, the materials used for repairs matter. We use heavy-gauge screening, metal flashing and solid framing where raccoons have broken in, rather than lightweight patches they can tear through again. The goal is a repair that holds up to a determined animal.

What to do now

Secure trash can lids, bring pet food inside at night and keep people and pets away from the animal. Request an inspection or call or text (301) 659-0300.