THE EFFECT OF

WILDLIFE PESTS

ON HOME VALUES

INTRODUCTION

Humans and animals have shared Northern California’s

ecosystems for centuries, but coexisting in peace isn’t easy

when man-made structures and animal instincts collide.

Native birds, rodents, bats, raccoons and other wildlife are

especially problematic for property owners. The same habits

that keep them alive in the wild -- such as foraging, nesting,

and nibbling -- are destructive and downright dangerous

when they move into buildings and landscaped lawns.

NATIVE BIRDS,

RODENTS, BATS,

RACCOONS AND

OTHER WILDLIFE

ARE ESPECIALLY

PROBLEMATIC

FOR PROPERTY

OWNERS.

‘‘

UNPREDICTABLE TRIGGERS

If you own real estate, or are especially planning to sell soon, the value of your

investment depends on your ability to deter these uninvited guests. Droughts, floods,

fire, new construction, and overpopulation are some of the unpredictable triggers

that push wild animals out of their natural environment and onto developed properties.

Extensive damage is often impossible to reverse. Even in urban and suburban

neighborhoods, it’s important to err on the side of caution and plan for possible

infestations. If you don’t, your property value could plummet due to pest-related effects.

DROUGHT FLOODS FIRENEW

CONSTRUCTIONOVERPOPULATION

ELECTRICAL DAMAGE

Some of the most destructive and expensive pests are

actually the smallest. When infestations of small pests

occur, even the wires within your walls and the utility lines

underground aren’t safe from their tiny teeth.

Burrowing rodents -- such as ground squirrels, voles,

moles, and gophers -- hide from predators by tunneling

underground. They clear their pathways by chewing through

anything and everything that gets in their way, including the

cables that power your entire building. The repair process

is invasive and extensive. Additionally unsightly damage to

lawns and large infestations can cause damage to gardens,

private vineyards, children’s play areas, and worst of all slope

collapse. These damages are tedious and costly to repair.

ELECTRICAL DAMAGE (CONTINUTED)

Mice and rats, raccoons, and bats meanwhile, can invade

walls, chimneys, and attics, where they chew on wires and

pipes. They also contaminate the exposed lines with their

waste, which attracts more rodents to the site. If they expose

live wires or leave fur and droppings behind, they can even

start devastating indoor fires! The risks remain after the wires

are fixed too. Home inspections and property appraisals

usually include these vital spaces, and evidence of previous

rodent infestations is a red flag that will instantly lower your

asking price.

IF THEY EXPOSE

LIVE WIRES OR

LEAVE FUR AND

DROPPINGS

BEHIND, THEY

CAN EVEN START

DEVASTATING

INDOOR FIRES.

“

STRUCTURAL DAMAGE

When rodents burrow underground or infest your indoor

spaces, electricity isn’t always your biggest problem. These

animals also chew through irrigation lines and indoor

plumbing, causing leaks that quickly turn into devastating

floods. The resulting water damage may drown your plants,

soak into your carpet, rot your wooden support beams and

more.

Even flood insurance policies don’t cover this

particular kind of water damage, so you must

act quickly to correct it.

STRUCTURAL DAMAGE(CONTINUTED)

Still, it’s virtually impossible to locate all the moisture and

condensation that accumulates after extensive water

damage. The subsequent buildup of mold and mildew is

hazardous to your health because it pollutes your air quality.

Additionally, when it occurs in walls and ceilings, it also

eats away at the structures that are responsible for keeping

your property intact. The displacement of soil may also

compromise the structural integrity of your foundation and

walls, because it leaves the ground beneath them uneven

and contaminated.

THE SUBSEQUENT

BUILDUP OF MOLD

AND MILDEW IS

HAZARDOUS TO

YOUR HEALTH

BECAUSE IT

POLLUTES YOUR

AIR QUALITY.

“

LANDSCAPING DAMAGE

Curb appeal is a vital ingredient in the value of residential

and commercial properties alike. Ornamental landscaping is

inviting and flattering, gardens add year-round fragrance and

color, and a well-nourished lawn is a telltale sign of a well-

maintained home. However, your landscaping efforts may

backfire if you don’t take preventative measures.

The same lush grass, plants and trees that

attract potential buyers will also attract pests

with destructive behaviors.

LANDSCAPING DAMAGE(CONTINUTED)

Some landscaping damage, such as the underground

burrowing that destroys roots and contaminates soil,

happens gradually and goes undetected for months or years.

Other destruction happens, quite literally, overnight. For

example, raccoons are social and nocturnal animals, so they

travel in groups and forage for worms and other bugs in the

dead of night. In just a few hours, two or three raccoons can

overturn every square of freshly laid sod and dig up an entire

yard’s worth of flowers and new landscaping additions.

Of course, any animal infestation will create unwanted odors

and health risks because of the waste that animals leave

behind. Bats and skunks are particularly notorious for their

pungent, disease-infested, unsightly fecal contributions to

human property. Your property value will reflect the long-

term presence of animal waste, but inspectors, neighbors

and potential buyers will also smell and see this damage

immediately.

IN JUST A FEW

HOURS, TWO

OR THREE

RACCOONS CAN

OVERTURN EVERY

SQUARE OF

FRESHLY

LAID SOD

“

PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY VALUE FROM PEST DAMAGE

No matter what kind of pest has infested your property, acting quickly is crucial. It’s

best to act immediately at the first signs of pest damage. Work with a professional

pest control company to address the problem before it escalates. After the wildlife is

removed, a simple cleanup will preserve your property investment and prevent lingering

consequences. Every pest has the potential to create significant and immediate

damage, so you should always be on the lookout for movement and visible changes.

TO SPEAK WITH A WILDLIFE PEST CONTROL EXPERT

IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CALL:

1-800-292-9845OR VISIT

ANIMALDAMAGEMANAGEMENT.COM

SOURCES

• http://www.nepma.org/problems.html

• http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7438.html

• http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74118.html

• http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74123.html

• http://www.animaldamagemanagement.com/pest-removal-professional-services/

• http://www.ibabuzz.com/garybogue/2008/10/24/raccoons-heres-what-they-can-do-to-your-lawn/

• http://ucanr.org/sites/vpce/files/86153.pdf

• http://www.bankrate.com/finance/insurance/there-s-no-insurance-against-household-pests-1.aspx

• http://www.theguardian.com/money/2012/nov/17/household-pests-rentokil-rats-mice-moths

• http://www.urbanwildlife.ca/bats/property-damages/?

• http://www.aphis.usda.gov/wildlife_damage/misc_pdfs/004-ProtectProperty.pdf

CONTACT US AT:ANIMAL DAMAGE MANAGEMENT

HTTP://WWW.ANIMALDAMAGEMANAGEMENT.COM