Wildlife exclusion is structural repair work — sealing the gaps and damaged roofline areas that allow animals to enter. We do not use chemicals, traps, or any form of population control. The solution is a permanently sealed roofline that denies physical access. This is not pest control.
How Georgia Wildlife Gets Into Your Roofline
Georgia supports one of the most active wildlife populations in the Southeast — and a significant portion of that population actively uses residential rooflines as shelter. The roofline offers protection from weather and predators, year-round warmth, and proximity to food sources in suburban neighborhoods. Animals don't create these opportunities randomly. They probe for weaknesses and exploit them systematically.
The entry process typically follows a pattern. An animal finds a soft corner at the junction between soffit and fascia — either from age, prior storm damage, or previous moisture deterioration. It chews or scratches until the opening is usable. Once inside, it establishes a pathway and often creates secondary access points nearby. By the time the homeowner hears scratching in the attic, there's usually more than one entry point to address.
Which Animals Are Getting In and How
🐿️ Gray Squirrels
The most common roofline intruder across Metro Atlanta and suburban Georgia. Gray squirrels are active year-round, nest twice annually (late winter and midsummer), and are highly persistent once they've identified an entry point. They typically access the eave cavity at soffit corners, gable vents, and at the intersection of roof sections. Inside, they chew wiring (a fire risk), compress insulation, and gnaw structural members. A dime-sized gap is enough for entry; they'll enlarge it if needed.
🦝 Raccoons
Heavier and more destructive than squirrels, raccoons require a larger opening but will actively tear back deteriorated soffit panels to create one. They're most active in spring, when mothers are seeking sheltered nesting sites. Raccoon activity inside an attic typically causes more immediate structural and insulation damage than squirrels — and raccoon latrine areas create serious sanitation concerns that require remediation beyond just closing the entry point.
🐦 Birds — Starlings, Sparrows & Chimney Swifts
European starlings and house sparrows are the most common roofline nesters — both are non-native species with no federal protection, enabling prompt exclusion work. They access eave cavities through open soffit vents and gaps at returns. Chimney swifts are a different case: they're a protected migratory species and must not be disturbed during nesting season (roughly May through August in Georgia). Work around active chimney swift nests must wait until they've migrated. Your contractor will identify the species and schedule exclusion appropriately.
🐝 Carpenter Bees & Bald-Faced Hornets
Carpenter bees bore circular entry holes directly into unpainted or weathered wood fascia and soffit — the holes are typically perfectly round and about half an inch in diameter. Over several seasons, multiple generations of carpenter bees use and enlarge the same galleries. Bald-faced hornets and yellow jackets regularly build nests inside eave cavities reached through soffit gaps. The exclusion work for insect entry involves sealing and replacing the damaged wood, not chemical application.
How Wildlife Exclusion Works
Every exclusion job starts with a thorough inspection — from both the ground and a ladder — to identify every entry point, not just the obvious one:
- Full perimeter inspection: The contractor walks every elevation of your home and inspects the full roofline from a ladder, looking at soffit corners, fascia-to-soffit junctions, gable end returns, and any areas of prior damage or deterioration. Animals rarely use just one entry point.
- Entry point mapping: All confirmed and suspected entry points are documented with photos and discussed with the homeowner before work begins. You understand exactly what's being sealed and why.
- Primary gap sealing: Main entry points are sealed using permanent materials — galvanized hardware cloth (for gaps at fascia-soffit junctions), aluminum flashing (for corner returns and gable intersections), and high-quality polyurethane caulk for smaller seams.
- Soffit and fascia panel replacement: Where the entry point exists because panels are damaged, chewed, or deteriorated, the affected sections are replaced — not just patched. A chewed hole stuffed with steel wool is a temporary measure, not a repair.
- Secondary point closure: All adjacent vulnerable areas identified during inspection are sealed in the same visit. Closing the primary entry point while leaving a secondary gap nearby is the reason exclusion work sometimes needs to be redone.
- Structural damage assessment: Where animals have been active for multiple seasons, the contractor evaluates whether framing, insulation, or sheathing inside the eave cavity has been compromised. That work is quoted separately if needed.
What We Use to Seal Entry Points
The materials used in exclusion work are chosen for permanence — animals can chew through foam, thin plastic mesh, and wood filler. Permanent exclusion requires permanent materials:
- Galvanized 1/4-inch hardware cloth — installed at open vent gaps and structural openings; squirrel-proof and rust-resistant long-term
- Aluminum flashing — used at corner returns, gable intersections, and areas where panel-to-panel gaps exist at structure transitions
- Replacement soffit and fascia panels — where the entry exists because panels are damaged or absent; new aluminum panels are installed to match your existing profile
- Polyurethane caulk — at seams, nail holes, and small gaps where hard materials can't reach; rated for exterior use and temperature variation
Wildlife Exclusion Cost in Georgia
| Scope | Typical Range (Georgia) |
|---|---|
| Single entry point sealing (small gap, mesh install) | $200–$450 |
| Multi-point exclusion with panel repair | $500–$1,200 |
| Full perimeter exclusion (all elevations) | $900–$2,500 |
| Add: structural damage repair (framing/insulation) | + $400–$1,500 |
Pricing depends on the number of entry points found, the extent of structural panel replacement needed, and the height and access of each elevation. Every estimate is free, in-person, and itemized before work begins.