5 Ways to Prevent Raccoons from Accessing Your Downspouts

Raccoons are wise animals that contribute to our ecosystem. They aren’t the ideal house visitors, though. They rummage through trash, ruin building supplies when they make nests, and spread diseases that can harm your family and pets.

When the raccoons access your downspouts to climb up your roof, this could lead to even more problems. Here are five suggestions to prevent them from doing so and to permanently keep them off your property:

1. Cut trim tree limbs.  You need to trim tree limbs that are already touching your roof and gutters. The branches serve as the raccoons’ access points to your roof. Additionally, doing this prevents leaves, twigs, and other debris from building up on your roof and in your gutters, causing clogs.

2. Grease your downspouts.  Consider putting automotive grease on a 24-inch section of your downspout if you want to leave your downspouts bare but want to keep raccoons from climbing them. Raccoons struggle to climb since they can’t use their legs or claws to obtain any footing on the slick downspouts.

3. Don’t leave pet food outside.  Raccoons are more active at night, so if you leave food out in your yard, they’ll come back for more. A smart strategy to keep them off your property and prevent them from getting into your gutters and roofs is to cut off their food source.

4. Attach anti-raccoon baffles.  Raccoons are frequently lured to water sources, especially those found in the downspouts. They could access your home, attic, or soffits by climbing on your downspouts or breaking through your roof. A baffle is a device put in place at the end of a downspout to keep raccoons out. It could be constructed from metal, wood, concrete, or plastic.

5. Install metal screens and pest guards.  Animals and insects can be kept out by installing metal screens and pest guards in your soffit vents. These screens are constructed from a sturdy reinforced screen material that is practically impossible to harm without the right equipment.

Larry Walty Roofing & Guttering is the go-to company Arkansas and Kansas homeowners rely on for high-quality gutter repair and installation services. Call us today at 662-488-5149, or fill out our  contact form  to get a free estimate. We serve clients in Andover, KS, and the surrounding communities.

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