Do you hear the constant ‘thud-thud’ sound in your roof and notice urine stains on ceilings and walls? It’s probably made by the possums that are staying at your premises. There are countless reasons that state why is it bad to have possums on your roof and the foremost reason is structural damage. To make your attic its own cozy habitat they can cause irreparable damage to it. The droppings, urine stains on the walls, interrupted hygiene, etc., also count! So, it is definitely a bad idea to let them nest at your place. Through this write-up, we will give you a clear insight into the potential damages caused by the nocturnal marsupial. So, stay tuned right till the end!
Why Is it bad to have possums on your roof?
Not taking immediate action after sensing a possum infestation on your roof is a terrible idea! And there are a couple of explanations behind it. Alongside hindering your mental peace, these nocturnal pests can drain out a substantial amount of money through severe structural damage. So, if you are in search of the answer to the question: is it bad to have possums on your roof, go through the following facts.
- The noisiest pest ever!
- Damage of tiles
- Creates mess
- Damage to the insulation facility
- Chew up electrical wires and support beams
- Extensive structural damage
- Transmits life-threatening diseases
Keeping aside the fact that possums contribute a lot to the ecosystem, these nocturnal pests can give you sleepless nights. The unvarying noise they make with the scurrying of their feet feels disgusting, especially when you are trying to rest after a long harsh day. The noise gets worse when the possums scratch and scuttle the floors and walls with their nails. And there comes the worst of all, their urge to create a sharp screeching or squealing sound, which can potentially get on your nerves.
If the possums have nested in your attic, they can take a frequent tour of your entire home in your absence. A lot of homeowners have complained about possums cracking the tiles of the roofs as well as their entire homes with sharp pointed teeth. They can even scratch the exterior of your home. And within a short span of time, they can create extensive damage.
Possum feces and urine, both emit a strong foul odour that can gag you even if your olfactory senses get a little whiff of it. The problem does not end here. The smell of their droppings tends to welcome other insects and critters to build a shelter in your home. Moreover, if your roof has another insect dropping, there could be an intolerable disgusting odour throughout the area. Possum urine almost smells like cat urine, which is pretty hard to get rid of no matter how well you clean your attic or roof. The longer you allow them to stay on your roof, the more mess they keep creating, making it tough for you to stay at your own home peacefully.
Your attic becomes the favourite place of possums when they find food, water, shelter everything along with a cozy ambience. To make it even cozier, these pests tend to use insulation pads to form their nest. And to get what they need, possums tear the insulation to gather the pieces required for the nest. Alongside using the insulation as their nest, they have the tendency to make it their toilet as well. And because of their activities, you can end up having a soiled and torn insulation system that not only puts pressure on your utility bills but also leads to a gagging of unpleasant odour all through your home.
Possums do everything needed to make their nest comfortable, safe, secure, and sturdy. That is why the animals could gnaw on the support beams as well as the electrical wires and cables in your roof. The chewed-up wires make your premises vulnerable to the threats of electrical fires and short circuits, which can prey on anyone at your home, including your pets. On the other hand, if there is more than one possum and all of them start chewing the support beam, severe foundation damage, including a collapse could happen at any time.
Being larger in size, possums can make huge structural damage to your building including its roof while attempting to enter the roof. Moreover, even after they manage to enter your roof, they do not stop damaging your foundation for easy transportation, these destructive pests often create new entry points and expand the existing ones.
Not to mention, possums are the real foodie! These omnivores munch on almost everything that they find edible. It can be anything from insects like carpenter ants, termites, litter, etc. And in search of food, they look for entry points and when there aren’t any, they scratch the foundation of your building, making new entrances through the carpet, drywall, vinyl flooring, carpet, etc.
Possums generally do not attack people or bite them in general. However, they can put your and your family members’ lives at risk with their ability to transmit life-threatening diseases by contaminating the food items. To name a few, diseases like tuberculosis, tularemia coccidiosis, leptospirosis, etc., can be spread by the nocturnal marsupials.
How do possums get into your roof? Is there any way to prevent them?
Possum catchers often seal the possible entry points through which these pests can invade your premises as a preventive barrier. So, if you learn beforehand how possums can enter your premises secretly, you can take measures to prevent their invasion. Generally, these pests get into the roof by climbing the neighbouring tree of the house. They jump into the attic or roof and build their nest. In fact, they can also make their way through porch railings, drain spouts, etc. So as a preventive barrier, you can choose to trim the tree branches, keeping them 5 ft away from the attic. Also, keeping the porch and other hard-toed spots grease-free can avert the possums from invading your roof. And if you are unable to do all that, you can always contact a professional roof possum removal expert.
Final Words
To sum up, now you have got your answer of whether Is it bad to have possums on your roof, it’s time to stay alert all the time and avert the advent of the pesky pest. In case you already have one or more possums residing on your roof, the best way to drive them out is to seek professional assistance. Possum killing is illegal in Australia, so professionals handle the infestation with extra care, ensuring to remove them from your premises without hurting or killing them.