Raccoon Removal for Attics, Chimneys and Decks

Is It a Raccoon? How to Tell

Several animals make attic noise. These clues point to a raccoon instead of a squirrel or rat.

Hearing scampering at sunrise instead? See squirrel removal. Fast scratching inside walls is more often rats.

Squeaking at dusk from a roof gap is more often bats; see bat removal.

Raccoons in the Chimney

An uncapped chimney looks like a hollow tree to a raccoon. Mothers often use the smoke shelf above the damper to raise kits.

• Don’t light a fire

  to smoke them out. Kits can’t climb, and the mother may get stuck.

• Keep the damper closed

  so they can’t come into the room.

• Listen for chirring.

  Kits make bird-like chirps and whines for several weeks.

• The mother moves them once kits are weaned,

  usually at 2–4 months, but a pro can remove kits by hand if you’d rather not wait.

• Cap it after.

  A heavy, firmly secured cap keeps raccoons from climbing back down the flue.

Call a chimney sweep after removal to clear nesting material before the next fire.

How Pros Keep the Mother and Kits Together

The goal is one family, out together, so nobody dies inside and the mother doesn’t break back in.

1. Locate the nest

   using sounds, heat and nesting material.

2. Remove kits by hand

   into a warm, ventilated container.

3. Place them outside

   near the entry so the mother can find them.

4. Let the mother collect them

   and carry them to another den.

5. Seal the entry

   once the attic is clear and quiet.

Where state rules allow it, some pros use other methods. Ask what happens if the mother doesn’t return.

What Is a Raccoon Latrine?

Raccoons use the same spot again and again as a toilet. These latrines build up fast and are the main source of roundworm eggs.

• In attics

  usually one corner, piled on top of insulation

• Outdoors

  flat roofs, decks, the base of trees, woodpiles and sandboxes

• What it looks like

  dark, tube-shaped droppings, often with seeds or berries visible

• Cleanup

  removal of droppings and soiled material, then disposal by bagging and landfill, burning or burying, as the CDC describes

Ask the pro to point out every latrine they find, inside and out.

Raccoons Under Decks, Porches and Sheds

Not every raccoon goes up. Some den at ground level, where they’re closer to kids, pets and trash cans.

A buried mesh skirt stops raccoons from simply digging a new hole next to the old one.

How Raccoon Removal Works

Every raccoon job follows a similar path, adjusted for kits, the season and your state’s rules.

1. Inspection:

   roofline, attic, chimney and deck checked for entries, nests and latrines.

2. Plan:

   one-way door, live trap or hand removal of kits, based on the season.

3. Removal:

   raccoons leave or are caught over a few nights; traps are checked often.

4. Exclusion:

   entry points sealed with heavy-gauge mesh, metal flashing and a secured chimney cap.

5. Cleanup:

   latrines and soiled insulation removed if needed.

6. Follow-up:

   a check for new damage or noise.

Roof, drywall and insulation repairs are priced by the pro once the damage is seen.

Can You Relocate a Raccoon?

Rules for trapped raccoons vary widely by state. Two examples show how different they can be.

• Colorado

  landowners may relocate raccoons only with advance notice to the state, permission at the release site, and within 2 miles of the capture site.

• Indiana

  a trapped nuisance raccoon must be released or euthanized within 24 hours and released only in the county where it was caught.

• Elsewhere

  some states restrict relocation more tightly, especially where raccoon rabies is present.

Ask the pro which of your state’s rules apply and what will happen to the animal before trapping starts.

Raccoon Removal by state

Local guides with state rules, seasonal timing and licensed providers near you.