Each pest has its own list of problems it causes. The most common complaint about raccoons is that they have no compunctions about tearing a hole in your roof to make an entrance to their new den. They can also rip up duct work, tear insulation off pipes, pull up insulation, and might even chew on your joists, though they are not as bad as squirrels in this regard.

Although damage to the frame of your house is annoying, for the most part raccoon structural damage is relatively minor. The real problem with raccoons is that they are a big animal; and, if they are living in your house, just like you they are going to be “going to the bathroom” in there. The only problem is they don’t have a bathroom in the attic and don’t know how to use one anyway. As a result, they will be urinating and defecating in your attic as long as they are living in there. This can cause health problems for your and your family and pets.

Because raccoons are basically wild animals their feces can contain parasites, a common one of which is the raccoon roundworm which can be transferred to humans. Raccoons also can bring in fleas and get diseases such as canine distemper which can be transmitted to your dog.

As cute and funny as they may be, if you find you have raccoons on your property, you need to call a professional to make sure you get rid of them before they bring the outdoors inside your home!