May Canadian homeowners live alongside nature. Usually living with nature is a great experience, as you see sights that many will never get to experience. You’ll interact with animals quite frequently and enjoy an eventful life. Canadian homeowners love living with nature except for one thing. Critters are always trying to get into your home, be it raccoons, bats, squirrels, or any other number of creatures. Keep reading for five ways to keep these critters out!

Checkup
Always start with a thorough checkup of your house. Both the interior and the exterior need to be examined. Creatures like bats can squeeze through the tightest of places and love being inside your home. Make sure you check the lowest point of your house, as well as upon the roof. Use caulking or sealant to shore up any small holes or gaps. You can also use sheet metal to patch holes. Just be sure to be very thorough in your search and don’t say “good enough”. Remember bats can squeeze through the tiniest of spaces.

Vents
Depending on how large your vents are leading out of your house, they can be a great place for animals to get in. Also included are vents that lead from your clothes dryer. Animals up to the size of small squirrels can get in these places. More commonly, mice or rats will make a nest inside, as it is warm. One of the best ways to plug these holes is to use steel wool, as rodents hate the feel of it.

Attics
In homes, there is one particular place that squirrels, raccoons, and bats all mutually love: the attic. The attic is more than likely one of the only places a raccoon will be able to enter your home. The best way to prevent animals from getting in your attic is by examining all along your attic on the exterior. You can check the interior as well, but you should be able to see any holes or gaps on the exterior. Many times it’s a ventilation hole that the guard has worn down or cracked that lets raccoons in. You can come up with many different DIY solutions to this issue.

Guard Your Chimney
When most people have problems with animals in their chimney, it is usually one animal: the squirrel. While many people find squirrels cute, they can be quite a nuisance. If they build a nest or die up in your chimney, it can be a potential fire hazard. The same goes for bird nests. The best way to prevent these things from happening is to install a chimney guard that allows air to flow, but won’t let pests in.

Doors and Windows
Always make sure that your doors and windows are shut, as raccoons, squirrels, bats, rodents, and every other kind of pest can make their way in. Make sure to check that doors and windows are closed tightly as well, as bats and rodents can squeeze into many tiny places.

Raccoons are especially difficult to get rid of. Visit getridraccoons.com for more information on dealing with these critters.