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Although raccoons aren’t particularly picky regarding food, certain sounds, metals, and smells bother them. You can place these items around your home to keep raccoons away:

• Place wire mesh screens around and underneath decks and porches to prevent raccoons from nesting. 

• Put metal sheeting around the edges of your roof or at the base of trees to deter raccoons from coming close. 

• Place a loud battery-operated radio near the raccoon’s den to keep them from nesting.

• Keep a bowl of cider vinegar on your deck or porch.

• Remove old raccoon scents by thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting underneath porches and decks.

Finding one termite could be a sign of an infestation. This termite could be a worker looking for food or a swarmer responsible for reproduction. Any time you see a termite crawling or flying around your home, or if you see their discarded wings around doors and windows, it’s time to call in a pro for an inspection.

Identifying the specific animal running on your roof at night can be challenging without direct observation. Common nocturnal roof visitors include raccoons, squirrels, opossums, and rats. Raccoons are bigger and can create heavy thumping sounds. Squirrels are agile and may produce rapid scurrying noises. Opossums tend to move stealthily with less noise. Rats can make scratching or gnawing sounds. To determine the culprit, look for signs like footprints, droppings, or damaged areas near the roof. For accurate identification, consult a pest control professional or set up wildlife cameras near potential entry points.

Termites, carpenter ants, and wood-boring beetles can move from wood furniture to other areas of your home. If you notice signs of bugs in wood furniture, it's best to remove and isolate it for treatment. Remember that it can be difficult to identify which type of pest you are dealing with, and they can already be in areas of your home.

If DIY methods don’t work or you don’t know which pest it is you should contact an exterminator if you are showing signs of wood-eating pests to prevent further damage.