Damage Identification

Most, if not all, towns and cities across Kansas have raccoons living within the city limits. Because raccoons move around and feed at night, they are seldom seen. Of all the wild animals that have adapted to city life, raccoons are probably the most destructive. These so-called "masked bandits" often raid garbage cans. It is not uncommon to find places where raccoons have torn off roofing to get into attics. Once they get in, minor repairs will not keep them from tearing in again. The real destruction begins once raccoons are in the attic. They tear and scatter insulation and chew holes through the walls. Their waste accumulates and creates an odor problem. It may even cause the ceiling to fall.

Raccoons find ready-made summer dens in the fireplaces of many homes. They resemble a hollow log, the raccoon's normal home in the woods. They may bear young in the chimney.