Raccoon Removal

We remove raccoons from attics and chimneys and address the health risks — including raccoon roundworm in contaminated spaces.

Raccoons denning in an attic or chimney bring real destruction and a genuine health risk — including raccoon roundworm in their droppings. In Central New York they often move into attics and chimneys in spring to raise young, tearing open soffits, vents, and roof edges to get in.

We remove raccoons safely, account for the likelihood of young, then repair and seal the entry with heavy-duty materials and clean and decontaminate the den. Their strength and the health concerns make this a job for professionals.

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Raccoons in the attic or chimney: strength, mess, and health risk

Raccoons are strong, clever, and destructive, and in Central New York they commonly den in attics and chimneys — especially females looking for a safe place to raise a litter in spring. They can tear open soffits, vents, and roof edges, and once inside they leave substantial droppings that carry a specific health concern: raccoon roundworm, whose eggs can be hazardous to humans and require careful cleanup.

Because of their strength and the health considerations, raccoon removal is not a DIY job. The correct approach is removal — accounting for the strong likelihood of young in spring and summer — followed by heavy-duty sealing and repair of the damage they caused, and proper cleanup and decontamination of the den. Raccoons return to reliable den sites, so securing the structure is essential.

Signs of a raccoon

Heavy thumping and movement in the attic or chimney, usually at night.
Large torn openings at the soffit, vent, or roof edge.
Substantial droppings in the attic (a health hazard — don't disturb them).
Chittering or the sounds of young in spring and summer.
Overturned trash and damaged gardens outside.

How we treat it

1
Inspection
We confirm raccoons, locate the den and entry, and check for young, which is common in spring and summer.
2
Removal
We remove the raccoon(s) using humane, legal methods, ensuring any young are accounted for.
3
Heavy-duty sealing & repair
We repair the torn entry and secure it with materials strong enough to keep raccoons out.
4
Cleanup & decontamination
We remove droppings and nesting material and decontaminate the den, addressing the roundworm health risk.
5
Chimney capping
For chimney dens, we install a proper cap so it can't be reused.

What to expect

In spring and summer we plan for the near-certainty of young in the den.
Sealing must be heavy-duty — raccoons are strong enough to defeat light repairs.
Droppings require careful, protected cleanup due to roundworm; don't attempt it yourself.
Attic cleanup and insulation restoration are available where contamination is heavy.

Seasonality in Central NY

Spring (Mar–Jun): peak denning and birthing — females seek attics and chimneys for litters.
Summer: young grow in the den; removal must account for them.
Fall and winter: raccoons seek warm shelter, and attic and chimney dens stay in use.

What it costs

Raccoon jobs are priced by the difficulty of removal, the presence of young, the repair required, and the cleanup involved — often a larger job than other wildlife because of their strength and mess.

We quote clearly after inspection and prioritize secure repair and safe decontamination.

How to prevent it

Cap the chimney with a sturdy, animal-proof cap.
Repair and reinforce soffits, vents, and roof edges.
Secure trash cans and remove outdoor food sources.
Close off access under decks and porches.

Signs of a raccoon in the house

Raccoons are large, strong, and nocturnal, and they tend to make their presence obvious. Telltale signs include heavy thumping, rolling, and vocalizations (chittering and growling from young) in the attic or chimney at night, a sizeable torn-open entry at a roof edge, soffit, or vent — raccoons rip rather than gnaw a neat hole — and large, dark droppings often deposited in a latrine area. A raccoon denning in a chimney may be mistaken for a stuck animal; often it's a mother that chose the flue as a nursery.

Because raccoons are so much larger and stronger than squirrels, the scale of the damage and the sound is different: torn shingles and fascia, crushed insulation matted into a den, and the kind of nighttime noise that wakes a household. Spring is peak season for finding raccoons indoors, because females seek out attics and chimneys as safe, warm places to give birth and raise a litter — which means an intruding raccoon very often comes with dependent young.

Raccoons, dens, and New York rules

Raccoons are thoroughly at home in Central New York's mix of woods, water, and neighborhoods, and they're skilled, dexterous, and persistent about exploiting structures. Uncapped chimneys, weak roof edges, and attic gaps are prime den sites, and the availability of food — gardens, garbage, pet food — keeps local populations high even in town. The overlap of their spring denning season with the region's older housing stock makes attic and chimney raccoon calls a regular spring event here.

Raccoons are also a rabies-vector species in New York, which places specific legal constraints on how they can be handled and relocated. That legal dimension, combined with the near-certainty of young in a spring den and the animal's size and strength, is exactly why raccoon removal is treated differently from ordinary pest control — it has to be both lawful and humane, not merely effective.

Rabies, roundworm, and aggression

Raccoons carry some of the more serious wildlife health risks. As a primary rabies-vector species, a raccoon showing unusual behavior warrants real caution and should never be approached or handled. Raccoon latrines can also harbor raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis), whose eggs are hazardous to humans and persist in the environment, so their droppings are not something to clean up casually. They also bring fleas, ticks, and other parasites into the structure.

There's physical risk, too. A cornered raccoon — and especially a mother defending young — is powerful and can be aggressive, which makes DIY confrontation genuinely dangerous. Add the property damage (torn roofs, crushed and fouled insulation, and the odor and secondary pests from a contaminated den or a dead animal in a wall), and a raccoon problem is one to resolve quickly and correctly rather than improvise.

Why raccoon work belongs with a professional

Raccoon removal sits at the intersection of physical danger, legal regulation, and the high likelihood of young, and all three argue against DIY. Handling a rabies-vector species, safely dealing with an aggressive mother and locating and removing her litter, and complying with New York's rules on trapping and relocation are well beyond a homeowner's tools. Improper exclusion can also trap dependent young to die in the chimney or attic, creating an odor and decontamination problem on top of the original one.

A professional handles the full job humanely and lawfully: confirming and removing the young along with the adult, evicting or trapping as the situation and regulations require, sealing and reinforcing the entry so a powerful animal can't simply re-open it, and cleaning and decontaminating the latrine and den — including the roundworm and parasite hazards — with proper protective equipment. For raccoons especially, that thorough, compliant approach is what keeps both the household and the animals safe.

Frequently asked questions

Why are raccoons so hard to remove myself?

They're strong, clever, and often have young in the den, and their droppings carry raccoon roundworm, which requires careful cleanup. Between the strength and the health risk, it's a job for professionals.

Is raccoon droppings really a health hazard?

Yes. Raccoon roundworm eggs in droppings can be hazardous to humans, so the den needs protected cleanup and decontamination rather than ordinary sweeping.

There are babies in my attic — what happens?

In spring and summer that's common. We account for the young during removal and handle the situation humanely rather than sealing the mother out and leaving them behind.

Will they come back?

Raccoons return to reliable dens, so secure, heavy-duty repair and chimney capping are essential. Done properly, sealing keeps them out.

Can you cap my chimney?

Yes. Chimneys are a favorite raccoon den, and a proper cap both removes the den site and prevents future use — plus it keeps other wildlife out.

Do you clean up the mess?

Yes. We remove droppings and nesting material, decontaminate the den, and can restore contaminated insulation as an add-on.

How do I know it's a raccoon and not a squirrel?

Raccoons are nocturnal, large, and loud — heavy thumping and vocalizations at night, a torn-open (not neatly gnawed) entry, and large droppings — while squirrels are smaller and active by day. Raccoons also favor chimneys and torn roof edges as den sites, especially in spring when females are raising young.

It's spring — are there probably babies?

Very likely. Spring is peak denning season, and raccoons choose attics and chimneys specifically to raise litters, so an intruding female usually has dependent young. That's critical for removal: the young must be located and removed with the mother, or sealing the entry would trap them inside. We account for this before closing anything up.

Are raccoons dangerous to have in my house?

They carry real risks: raccoons are a rabies-vector species in New York, their latrines can harbor a roundworm hazardous to humans, and they bring in parasites. A cornered mother is also strong and can be aggressive. Combined with the roof and insulation damage they cause, it's a problem to handle promptly and professionally rather than approach yourself.

Why not just trap it and let it go somewhere?

Because raccoons are a rabies-vector species subject to specific New York handling and relocation rules, and DIY trapping risks leaving young behind to die in your walls. Proper removal is humane and lawful, accounts for the litter, seals the reinforced entry so a strong animal can't re-open it, and decontaminates the den.

Our guarantee

Covered by our defined-term service guarantee: if covered pests return during the service period, we re-treat at no additional charge. See Our Guarantee for terms and exclusions.

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