Wildlife such as rats, squirrels, raccoons, snakes, opossums, & bats in the attic is a serious problem, and it is never the kind of problem that can be solved by a handyman. Many home and business owners wait until it is too late to call a professional for help. It is our recommendation to pay for a few hours of an expert’s time to point you in the right direction to solve the animal problem. Here are some examples of damages and repairs Forsyth Wildlife has had to deal with in the past 30 years of business. If you have rats, squirrels, raccoons, snakes, opossums, bats, or other wildlife in the attic, we urge you to correctly and promptly address the problem.
Chewed Wires: As professionals we have seen animals chewing car wires inside the hood and cab of automobiles, electrical wires inside attics and walls, cables and internet wires, and entire home theater systems. The cost of the damages caused by animals can range from $100 to $500,000. As an example, one of Forsyth Wildlife’s customers bought a brand new car (T. Avalon); the second day rodents entered the vehicle and caused $7,500 worth of damage. The customer had to replace all the wiring inside the hood. This is just one of hundreds of customers that have faced similar situations. A house in Cumming, Georgia caught on fire and the fire marshal (fire investigator) ruled that the cause of the fire was a shortage cause by a chewed wire in the attic. This house burned to the ground, leaving a single mother homeless. This house was quoted by Forsyth Wildlife 8 months prior to the incident, but home owner never decided to hire professional services. She assured Forsyth Wildlife that her neighbor was trained and capable of solving the issue with rodents. Please hire a professional company when dealing with animals inside your attics and structures.
Chewed Pipes: As animals chew wires and cables, they also target pipes, as they have the round shape that is most attractive to wildlife. Rodents have chewed hoses and pipes connecting dishwashers and refrigerators which caused thousands of dollars to fix every time. Hundreds of our customer have faced devastating news when entering a flooded kitchen or bathroom. Even more aggravating is the fact that animals as small as a pinky are responsible for causing the damages. When kitchens are flooded, hardwood floors buckle, furniture gets moldy and many times a musky smell stays in the area for months. It is worth mentioning that even after all the damages are repaired, critters could come back and do it again. Please make sure that your house is sealed against animals by a trained professional.
Chewed Objects: From a $200 suit case to a $50,000 oil painting, Forsyth Wildlife has seen animals chew and destroy objects. Animals will chew objects trying to gather nesting materials, find a hiding place, or secure a food source. Many valuable objects are stored in areas with ideal conditions for wildlife such as attics and closets. These environments are frequently occupied by animals and rodents making it easy for them to chew and damage objects. In one case, rats chewed and damaged $ 20,000 worth of children’s clothing and toys since they were in storage for a period of three months. Some of the damaged materials included bedding, clothes, plastic bottles, diapers, cribs, camera monitors, and many more. Insurance was very difficult to collect and only paid about 45% of all damages.
Damaged Insulation: Many homes that have been infested by bats and raccoons have an undisputable need to remove and replace contaminated insulations since their excrement can be very toxic to humans. Most insurance policies in the state of Georgia will pay for the removal and replacement of contaminated insulation if raccoons or bats contaminated the insulation. In the case of squirrels and rats, replacement of insulation and decontamination may be needed if the infestation is heavy. Unfortunately, insurance doesn’t cover this since they expect owners to solve rat and squirrel problems as soon as they notice any signs. Rats and squirrels could damage insulation to the point of no return, but it definitely takes them longer to do so, compared to raccoons and bats.
Water Damage: Chewed pipes are not the only cause of water damage caused by animals. In thousands of homes animals will open entry areas around the outside soffit boards or roofs. These entry ways will allow water to enter structures by the gallons, creating mold and damages that can cost thousands of dollars to repair. When dealing with large animals such as squirrels and raccoons, their entry ways could be from the size of a baseball to a beach ball. If you have openings this size around the roof of your structure, water will cause more damage than any wildlife. We urge you to repair openings and animal entries before is too late. Make sure animals are captured and relocated before they try to open entry ways elsewhere.
Chewed Wires: As professionals we have seen animals chewing car wires inside the hood and cab of automobiles, electrical wires inside attics and walls, cables and internet wires, and entire home theater systems. The cost of the damages caused by animals can range from $100 to $500,000. As an example, one of Forsyth Wildlife’s customers bought a brand new car (T. Avalon); the second day rodents entered the vehicle and caused $7,500 worth of damage. The customer had to replace all the wiring inside the hood. This is just one of hundreds of customers that have faced similar situations. A house in Cumming, Georgia caught on fire and the fire marshal (fire investigator) ruled that the cause of the fire was a shortage cause by a chewed wire in the attic. This house burned to the ground, leaving a single mother homeless. This house was quoted by Forsyth Wildlife 8 months prior to the incident, but home owner never decided to hire professional services. She assured Forsyth Wildlife that her neighbor was trained and capable of solving the issue with rodents. Please hire a professional company when dealing with animals inside your attics and structures.
Chewed Pipes: As animals chew wires and cables, they also target pipes, as they have the round shape that is most attractive to wildlife. Rodents have chewed hoses and pipes connecting dishwashers and refrigerators which caused thousands of dollars to fix every time. Hundreds of our customer have faced devastating news when entering a flooded kitchen or bathroom. Even more aggravating is the fact that animals as small as a pinky are responsible for causing the damages. When kitchens are flooded, hardwood floors buckle, furniture gets moldy and many times a musky smell stays in the area for months. It is worth mentioning that even after all the damages are repaired, critters could come back and do it again. Please make sure that your house is sealed against animals by a trained professional.
Chewed Objects: From a $200 suit case to a $50,000 oil painting, Forsyth Wildlife has seen animals chew and destroy objects. Animals will chew objects trying to gather nesting materials, find a hiding place, or secure a food source. Many valuable objects are stored in areas with ideal conditions for wildlife such as attics and closets. These environments are frequently occupied by animals and rodents making it easy for them to chew and damage objects. In one case, rats chewed and damaged $ 20,000 worth of children’s clothing and toys since they were in storage for a period of three months. Some of the damaged materials included bedding, clothes, plastic bottles, diapers, cribs, camera monitors, and many more. Insurance was very difficult to collect and only paid about 45% of all damages.
Damaged Insulation: Many homes that have been infested by bats and raccoons have an undisputable need to remove and replace contaminated insulations since their excrement can be very toxic to humans. Most insurance policies in the state of Georgia will pay for the removal and replacement of contaminated insulation if raccoons or bats contaminated the insulation. In the case of squirrels and rats, replacement of insulation and decontamination may be needed if the infestation is heavy. Unfortunately, insurance doesn’t cover this since they expect owners to solve rat and squirrel problems as soon as they notice any signs. Rats and squirrels could damage insulation to the point of no return, but it definitely takes them longer to do so, compared to raccoons and bats.
Water Damage: Chewed pipes are not the only cause of water damage caused by animals. In thousands of homes animals will open entry areas around the outside soffit boards or roofs. These entry ways will allow water to enter structures by the gallons, creating mold and damages that can cost thousands of dollars to repair. When dealing with large animals such as squirrels and raccoons, their entry ways could be from the size of a baseball to a beach ball. If you have openings this size around the roof of your structure, water will cause more damage than any wildlife. We urge you to repair openings and animal entries before is too late. Make sure animals are captured and relocated before they try to open entry ways elsewhere.
