The most effective way to keep a raccoon out of your house is to use preventative exclusion services. To avoid future raccoon entry, all entry points must be sealed after the raccoon has been removed. Making sure you don't establish a raccoon haven outside your home can also help you avoid attracting raccoons. However, after dealing with a raccoon invasion, habitat modification will become important for prevention. Fear-inducing gadgets only work for a short time, and there are no toxicants that are regulated for raccoons.
Broken vents, unprotected holes beneath eaves, and exposed crawl space covers are all ways for opossums to get into your property. If an opossum has broken into your home, you may see shredded shingles and ripped soffits. An opossum may have taken up home in your attic if you hear loud scratching and ripping noises. Although these sounds are similar to those made by rats and mice, an opossum is a much larger animal, so the sounds may be difficult to hear from inside your home.