How to Prevent Possums in Your Roof

6 Tips to Keep Possums Out of Your Roof for Good

How to Prevent Possums in Your Roof

Possums. Those creepy little critters with their beady eyes and naked tails. As cute as they may look, you don’t want them setting up camp in your attic or crawlspace. Not only can they cause damage, but they also carry fleas, ticks and diseases.

Luckily, keeping them out of your roof isn’t too difficult with some smart prevention methods. As a homeowner, you have to think like a possum to outsmart them. Why are they trying to get in there in the first place? What’s attracting them? How can you make your home less appealing to these uninvited guests?

Let’s walk through some tips and tricks to secure your house, so you can sleep easy knowing those pesky marsupials won’t be crashing your place anytime soon.

Why Are They There in the First Place?

Possums may seek out shelter in your attic or roof for a few reasons:

  • Food: They can smell food or garbage that wasn’t properly contained. Make sure trash cans have tight seals and avoid scattering bird seed.
  • Shelter: Attics provide warmth and safety for raising their young. Limit access points to your attic.
  • Nesting spots: They like dark, enclosed spaces with insulation to build nests. Install vent covers and repair holes.

The main attractions are food, shelter, and nesting. Eliminate these, and your roof becomes much less appealing.

1. Cut Back Overhanging Tree Branches

If trees are close to your home, their branches may allow possums easy access to your roof. Trim any branches that are touching or hanging over the roof. Possums are great climbers and will scurry right up those branches onto your roof.

You should also prune any limbs close to telephone and electrical lines. Not only will this help deter possums, but it’s also important for safety.

2. Block Off Potential Entry Points

Close off any openings that could allow possums inside. Here are some areas to check:

  • Attic vents – Install vent covers to seal openings but still allow airflow.
  • Under the eaves – Use wire mesh to close up gaps. Make sure it’s rust-resistant.
  • Around pipes – Seal gaps around any pipes or conduits with copper mesh, caulk or foam.
  • Chimneys – Install a chimney cap and mesh screens over the flue.
  • Gaps in siding – Use caulk or expandable foam to fill any cracks or holes in the exterior.
  • Broken screens – Replace any compromised vent or gable screens. Make sure they fit snugly.
  • Access doors – Insulate attic doors and entrances to prevent drafts. Repair any issues.

Be diligent about checking for potential entrance points all around your home. Don’t give animals any opportunity to sneak in.

3. Install Exterior Lights with Motion Sensors

Possums tend to avoid bright lights. Install exterior floodlights with motion sensors near potential access points like branches, attic vents, etc.

The sudden illumination will startle possums and deter them from trying to gain entrance. Just make sure the lights aren’t directed at your neighbor’s house, as that could cause a nuisance.

Install Exterior Lights with Motion Sensors

4. Remove Garbage & Food Sources

Don’t give possums any incentive to stick around. Make sure all trash cans have secure, tight-fitting lids. Eliminate other food sources like fallen fruit from gardens.

Store pet food indoors rather than leaving it outside in a bowl. Anything with a strong, appealing odor should be contained and sealed so it doesn’t attract possums from adjacent properties.

The less available food, the less likely possums will try to inhabit your home.

5. Use Repellents

There are various commercial possum repellents that you can apply around your home’s perimeter. Look for ones containing castor oil, peppermint oil, or capsaicin, or consider spraying quassia chip. Reapply these regularly, especially after heavy rains.

Mothballs, ammonia-soaked rags, and traps can also help deter possums from entering enclosed spaces like attics or crawlspaces. The strong odors are unpleasant and will send them looking for shelter elsewhere. Just be sure to use caution when handling mothballs or ammonia.

6. Check Deck Posts, Lattice & Other Climbable Surfaces

Possums can scale other vertical surfaces to access roofs. Make sure any latticework or railings don’t have gaps allowing possums to climb up.

Trim back branches or vegetation touching your home. Inspect any stacked woodpiles, retaining walls, or other potential “ladders” that could assist a possum. Eliminate anything they can use to climb up.

What Kind of Damage Can Possums Cause?

Here are some of the problems possums can create if they take up residence in your home:

  • Nesting in insulation/attics – This can be a fire hazard.
  • Gnawing on wood and wires – Can jeopardize structure and electrical systems.
  • Noise complaints – Late night scurrying in the walls or ceiling.
  • Odors from waste or deceased possums – Quite unpleasant!
  • Spreading fleas, mites and ticks – Which can then bother your pets.
  • Transmitting diseases – Including leptospirosis, tuberculosis and tularemia. Rare but possible.

Preventive action is highly recommended to avoid dealing with any of these headaches! An ounce of possum-proofing is worth a pound of cure.

A Few Final Possum Prevention Tips:

  • Use tight-fitting lids on trash cans
  • Eliminate food sources around the home
  • Trim overhanging tree limbs
  • Seal off entry points and gaps
  • Install lights with motion sensors
  • Apply repellents around the perimeter
  • Check for climbable surfaces

Check Deck Posts, Lattice & Other Climbable Surfaces

Conclusion

With some simple possum-proofing tactics, you can send the message loud and clear that your roof is not open for business.

Focus on removing food sources, sealing up entrance points, installing deterrents, and eliminating access ladders. A bit of effort up front will save you from major headaches later on. However, if problem persist, it’s advisable to call a pest control exterminator.

Here’s to keeping those possums from crashing your sweet home. Happy possum prevention!