How to Get Humane Raccoon and Squirrel Removal for Your Chicago Attic

A-1 Pest Master handles humane raccoon and squirrel removal for attics across Chicago and Chicagoland through inspection, trapping with one-way exclusion doors, entry-point sealing, and cleanup. Our licensed technicians handle raccoons, squirrels, and other nuisance wildlife with a process built around removing the animal safely and keeping it from coming back.

Key Takeaways

• A-1 Pest Master has removed nuisance wildlife from Chicago attics since August 1984, when Isaac Hill and Juanita Hill founded the company.
• Our humane process for raccoons and squirrels covers inspection, trapping with one-way exclusion doors, entry sealing, and a follow-up visit.
• We're a member of the Illinois Pest Control Association and use licensed, certified technicians on every wildlife call.
• A-1 Pest Master has been top-rated by the Better Business Bureau four years in a row and carries an A+ rating.
• Beyond raccoons and squirrels, our wildlife team also removes white-footed mice, snakes, and possums from attics and crawl spaces.

How Do Raccoons and Squirrels Get Into a Chicago Attic?

Raccoons and squirrels get into attics through damaged soffits, loose roof vents, gaps where the roofline meets the siding, and uncapped chimneys. Both animals look for warm, dry, enclosed space, and an attic gives them that year-round. Garbage cans, decks, sheds, and the attic itself are the property areas we see wildlife favor most.

Once a raccoon or squirrel finds a weak point, it usually widens it. A gap the size of a fist is enough for a raccoon; squirrels can squeeze through something smaller. That's part of why the inspection step matters so much in wildlife removal services: finding every opening, not just the obvious one, is what keeps the animal from just finding a new way in a week later.

What Does Humane Attic Wildlife Removal Actually Involve?

Humane attic wildlife removal at A-1 Pest Master starts with a full inspection of the attic, roof, and exterior to find every entry point. We then set a customized trapping plan using one-way exclusion doors so animals leave but can't get back in, followed by cleanup, sealing, and a follow-up visit.

The steps look slightly different depending on which animal you're dealing with, but the structure is the same:

For raccoons, that removal plan uses traps and one-way exclusion doors set at the entry point we located during inspection. For squirrels, the plan is built around a trapping approach designed for their specific entry habits, whether that's a gap in the fascia or a chewed vent. Both processes end the same way: sealing the opening and checking back to confirm it's holding.

How Do I Know If I Have Raccoons or Squirrels in My Attic?

Scratching or thumping in the ceiling, torn insulation, chewed wiring, and droppings near the attic opening usually point to raccoons or squirrels overhead. Squirrels tend to be active in daylight, while raccoon noise is more common after dark. Either way, an inspection is the fastest way to confirm which animal you're dealing with.

If you're hearing activity but can't tell which animal it is, that's normal. A lot of homeowners assume it's squirrels because that's the more familiar attic pest, only to find raccoon tracks or a den of young raccoons once we get up there. Our technicians identify the species during the property inspection, before any trap goes up, so the removal plan matches the animal actually causing the problem.

Why Choose A-1 Pest Master for Attic Wildlife Removal in Chicago

A-1 Pest Master Exterminating Company, Inc. has served the Chicago area since Isaac Hill founded it in August 1984, with Juanita Hill as co-founder. We're a member of the Illinois Pest Control Association, our technicians are licensed and certified, and we've been top-rated by the Better Business Bureau for four consecutive years, carrying an A+ rating and a feature on ABC 7 Chicago News.

We're based at 1943 W 63rd Street in Chicago and serve the city along with the South and West Suburbs, the broader Chicago metropolitan area, and Chinatown. One Google reviewer, Katherine Bailey, put it this way: "Honest and fair pricing. Another company quoted a ridiculous amount for ant control, but these guys gave a reasonable estimate and got the job done fast for our Chicago property." You can see how we run inspections and treatments across the full range of pest control services we offer, and check whether your neighborhood falls within our pest control service areas, including our dedicated coverage in Berwyn. More on how the company started is on our about us page.

What Other Wildlife and Pests Do We Handle Beyond the Attic

Raccoons and squirrels are two of the wildlife calls we get most, but attics and yards bring in more than that. Our wildlife removal services also cover white-footed mice, snakes, and possums, each with the same inspection-first approach: find where the animal is getting in, remove it, and seal the opening.

We also work with offices, schools, restaurants, and dealerships that deal with the same entry-point issues on a commercial scale. And wildlife isn't the only thing sharing your attic or walls. If ants, earwigs, or termites turn up during an inspection, our ant control, earwig removal, and termite inspection services handle those separately from the wildlife work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can raccoons or squirrels get back into my attic after removal?

Once raccoons or squirrels are removed using one-way exclusion doors, we seal the entry points they used to get in. That closes off the specific opening they were using. Follow-up visits confirm the exclusion work is holding and check for new activity elsewhere on the property.

Do you repair the damage raccoons or squirrels cause in an attic?

Our raccoon and squirrel removal covers exclusion, cleanup, and repair of the openings and structures the animals damaged getting in. That work is part of the same service, so the entry point gets sealed and secured before we call the job finished.

Should I try to remove a raccoon or squirrel from my attic myself?

Raccoons and squirrels can act defensively when cornered in a confined attic space, especially if young are nearby. A-1 Pest Master's licensed technicians handle the inspection, trapping, exclusion, and cleanup as one process, so the removal is managed safely from start to finish.

Do you handle other wildlife besides raccoons and squirrels?

Beyond raccoons and squirrels, our wildlife removal service also covers white-footed mice, snakes, and possums throughout Chicago and nearby suburbs. Each service follows the same approach: locate where the animal is getting in, remove it, and seal the opening to keep it from happening again.

If you're hearing something moving in your attic, or you've already spotted a raccoon or squirrel getting in and out, tell us what you're noticing and where using the form below this article, and we'll help you figure out the right next step.