Raccoons in the Attic: Signs, Dangers & How to Remove Them

That thumping sound above your ceiling at night isn't your imagination. If you're hearing heavy footsteps, scratching, or chattering in your attic — especially between dusk and dawn — there's a good chance you have raccoons.

Raccoons are one of the most common attic invaders in the United States, and they cause far more damage than most homeowners realize. Here's everything you need to know: how to confirm you have them, why it's urgent, and what to do about it.

Raccoons are nocturnal and weigh 10–30 pounds. Unlike squirrels (which scurry) or mice (which scratch), raccoons make heavy, deliberate footstep sounds. If it sounds like a small person walking around up there, it's probably a raccoon.

Raccoons are strong enough to tear through rotted fascia boards, damaged soffits, and even intact roof vents. Look for holes 4–6 inches wide, often with bent or torn edges and dark grease marks from repeated use.

Raccoon droppings are 2–3 inches long, tubular, and often contain berry seeds or insect parts. They frequently defecate near their entry point. Do not handle raccoon droppings without protective gear — they can carry Baylisascaris procyonis, a dangerous roundworm.

Raccoons flatten insulation to create nesting areas and tear it apart to build dens. A single raccoon family can destroy an entire attic's worth of insulation in weeks.

Raccoons chew through HVAC ducts and electrical wiring. Chewed wiring is a direct fire hazard and one of the most expensive repairs associated with wildlife intrusion.

Raccoon urine soaks into insulation and wood, creating a persistent ammonia-like smell that can permeate living spaces below. The odor also attracts other raccoons to the same entry point.

Female raccoons give birth in March–May and raise their litters in attics. If you hear high-pitched chittering or crying sounds in spring, you likely have a mother raccoon with kits.

A raccoon family can cause $10,000–$30,000 in structural damage. They destroy insulation, tear apart ductwork, and contaminate wood with urine and feces that require professional remediation.

Raccoons carry several serious diseases and parasites:

• Rabies — Raccoons are one of the primary rabies vectors in the US
• Baylisascaris procyonis — Raccoon roundworm, which can cause severe neurological damage in humans
• Leptospirosis — Bacterial infection spread through urine
• Canine distemper — Dangerous to pets

Chewed electrical wiring is a leading cause of house fires. If raccoons have been in your attic for more than a few weeks, a wiring inspection is essential.

Raccoon urine and feces leave scent markers that attract other raccoons to the same location. Removing the animals without sealing entry points guarantees re-infestation.

A licensed wildlife technician inspects your attic, identifies all entry points, assesses the extent of damage, and determines whether a mother with kits is present. This step is critical — removing a mother without her kits leads to kits dying in the walls.

Depending on the situation, we use:

• Live trapping — Cage traps baited and monitored daily
• One-way exclusion doors — Allow animals to exit but not re-enter (preferred when kits are present)
• Hand removal — For kits that cannot yet leave on their own

Every entry point is sealed with professional-grade materials: galvanized steel mesh, heavy-gauge hardware cloth, and commercial sealants. We don't just patch the obvious hole — we inspect the entire roofline for secondary entry points.

Contaminated insulation is removed and replaced. Affected surfaces are treated with EPA-registered disinfectants to eliminate pathogens, parasites, and odor-causing bacteria.

Many homeowners attempt to remove raccoons themselves. Here's why it rarely works:

• Trapping without sealing — New raccoons move in within days
• Missing secondary entry points — Raccoons find the next weakest spot
• Separating mothers from kits — Creates a worse problem (dead animals in walls)
• Legal issues — Raccoon removal is regulated in most states; improper handling can result in fines
• Rabies exposure risk — Cornered raccoons bite and scratch

Licensed professionals handle all of these issues correctly the first time.

Call immediately if you:

• Hear raccoon sounds in your attic
• Find a raccoon entry hole on your roof
• Notice a strong urine odor from your attic
• See a raccoon entering or exiting your home
• Have had raccoons before and they've returned

The longer you wait, the more damage accumulates and the more expensive the remediation becomes.

Wildlife Removal Specialists provides same-day raccoon removal throughout our 32+ service markets. Our technicians are licensed, insured, and trained in humane removal and professional exclusion.

Call (800) 319-1556 for a free inspection. We'll assess the situation, provide a written quote, and handle everything from removal to cleanup — guaranteed.

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