Raccoon Removal Gets Complicated When the Power Line Is in the Way

At Frontline Animal Removal, no two nuisance wildlife jobs are exactly alike. We deal with raccoons getting into attics through all kinds of openings, and while the basic process of raccoon removal is usually straightforward, some jobs present challenges that require a little more planning and coordination.

This recent raccoon removal job is a good example.

The raccoon is getting into the attic through a hole in a gable vent.

That part of the problem is something we see fairly often in the Canton, Akron, and Kent areas. Gable vents provide necessary ventilation for an attic, but when the screening or vent material becomes damaged, they can also become an easy entry point for raccoons, squirrels, and other wildlife.

What makes this particular job different is what is mounted directly on the house at the gable vent: the home’s electrical service and weatherhead.

That changes the way the repair needs to be approached.

First, We Have to Remove the Raccoon

As we always explain, repairing the hole before removing the animal is not the first step.

The first step is raccoon removal.

If a raccoon is actively using an attic, simply covering the hole is not an acceptable solution. The animal needs to be removed first, and we need to make sure there are no other animals using the structure before permanent exclusion work begins.

Traps are strategically placed to capture the raccoon using the attic. The goal is to get the offending animal out of the structure while avoiding the possibility of trapping an animal inside.

Once the raccoon is successfully trapped and removed, the situation changes from an animal removal problem to an exclusion and repair problem.

And that’s where things get interesting.

The Gable Vent Needs to Be Repaired

The damaged gable vent provides the opening the raccoon is using to enter the attic.

A gable vent needs to perform two jobs. It needs to allow air to move through the attic, but it also needs to keep wildlife outside.

Simply covering the vent with a solid piece of material isn’t the answer because the ventilation function of the vent still needs to be maintained.

For this repair, a steel screening material is selected.

The steel screen provides a strong physical barrier that allows air to continue moving through the gable vent while preventing another raccoon or other animal from pushing its way through the opening.

This is an important part of wildlife exclusion work. The goal isn’t simply to cover a hole. The goal is to repair the opening in a way that continues to allow the structure to function as it was designed while eliminating the wildlife entry point.

But There Is a Power Line Attached to the Gable

Here’s where this particular raccoon removal job becomes different from a typical gable vent repair.

The home’s electrical service is attached to the house right at the same gable vent.

The electrical service includes a weatherhead and associated equipment that has to remain in place. In order to properly install and secure the steel screening over the damaged vent, Brian needed to work around this equipment.

That means this isn’t a situation where we simply climb up, install the screen, and go about our day.

The electrical service has to be considered before the repair begins.

Working around electrical service equipment presents an obvious safety concern. Rather than trying to work around an energized service connection, the homeowner contacts the electric utility company, FirstEnergy, and coordinates with them to have the electrical service disconnected temporarily.

This allows Brian to perform the necessary exclusion work without having energized electrical service creating an unnecessary hazard.

Communication and Timing Are Important

This is one of those jobs where communication between everyone involved is just as important as the physical work itself.

The homeowner coordinates with FirstEnergy to arrange the temporary power disconnect. The timing has to work for everyone.

First, the raccoon needs to be removed.

Then, once we know the attic is no longer being used by the offending animals, the repair can be scheduled.

The utility company disconnects the electrical service.

Brian then performs the gable vent repair and works carefully around the weatherhead and service equipment while the power is off.

Once the work is completed, FirstEnergy returns and restores the electrical service.

It may sound like a simple sequence of events, but every part of that sequence matters.

Raccoon removal → animal-free attic → power disconnect → exclusion repair → power restored.

Getting those steps in the proper order helps make sure the job is completed safely and correctly.

A Good Wildlife Repair Has to Consider the Whole House

This job is also a good reminder of why nuisance wildlife removal isn’t always as simple as setting a trap and catching an animal.

When we inspect a home, we’re looking at how the animal is getting inside, what has allowed it to get inside, and what needs to be done to prevent the problem from happening again.

In this case, the raccoon is taking advantage of a damaged gable vent. Once the raccoon is removed, the opening needs to be addressed.

But the repair also has to take into account another important component of the home: the electrical service.

The solution needs to be strong enough to keep wildlife out, allow the gable vent to continue providing ventilation, and be installed without interfering with the home’s electrical equipment.

That’s why every exclusion job needs to be approached individually.

The Repair Is About More Than Just Keeping Raccoons Out

Although this job starts as a raccoon problem, the finished repair is designed to prevent more than just another raccoon from entering.

A properly secured gable vent can also help keep squirrels, birds, and other wildlife from finding the same opening and turning it into their next way into the attic.

This is especially important because wildlife often takes advantage of an opening that has already been created by another animal. Once an entry point exists, it can become a recurring problem unless the opening is properly repaired.

At Frontline Animal Removal, we believe that removal and repair go together.

Catching the raccoon solves today’s problem.

Repairing the gable vent helps prevent tomorrow’s problem.

Another Unique Raccoon Removal Job in Northeast Ohio

This job is a great example of why experience and communication are important in nuisance wildlife work.

The raccoon itself isn’t necessarily what makes the job complicated. We routinely perform raccoon removal throughout Stark, Summit, and Portage Counties. What makes this one unique is the location of the electrical service and the need to coordinate with FirstEnergy before the exclusion work can safely be completed.

In the end, the raccoon is removed, the attic is no longer being used by the offending animal, the damaged gable vent is secured with durable steel screening, and the home’s electrical service is safely restored.

That’s what a successful wildlife removal job looks like to us.

Remove the animal. Find the entry point. Make the repair. Keep the wildlife out.

If you have a raccoon getting into your attic through a gable vent—or if you aren’t sure exactly how the animal is getting inside—Frontline Animal Removal provides raccoon removal, wildlife exclusion, and animal damage repairs throughout the Canton, Akron, Kent, Stark County, Summit County, and Portage County areas.

Sometimes the repair is straightforward.

And sometimes, as this job demonstrates, there’s a little more to it than simply covering a hole.