Protecting Shed Underside From Animal Invasions

There are several areas of a given property that may contain risks of animal presence, such as under patios or decks, in crawl spaces or underneath home foundations. And on certain property types, this risk may extend to underneath a shed or another separate building type you’ve placed on your property as well.

At A-Shed USA, we’ll provide you with quality storage sheds and garages that are well-built and do not allow for the habitation of animals underneath the structure. In addition, we can provide numerous custom structures, including helping you expand an existing space or cover an exposed area that might appear inviting for certain critters. Here are some basics on what to do if you’ve found animals living under your shed, some areas to avoid, and how to protect your shed from this happening to you.

Sheds and Animals

Like some of the other spaces we mentioned above, certain openings that may form beneath sheds offer several factors animals often search for. They’re quiet, dry areas that often offer several protection elements from potential predators or other threats, plus often offer the kind of space nesting animals need.

And while there are certainly exterminators (for pests) or other animal removal companies (for larger animals) available to remedy this issue, this is often a Band-Aid for a larger problem. If the space remains open and potentially inviting to various animals, you’re going to be calling these companies again and again if you don’t make any changes.

Useless Areas to Avoid

You naturally want an affordable solution to this problem if it pops up on your property, but there are many DIY tactics some take that either don’t work or even can exacerbate the issues. A few areas to avoid:

• Mothballs: For those with snakes under a given structure, an old wives’ tale involves using mothballs around the perimeter to keep them away. This simply doesn’t work at all – if you have snakes on the property, removing rodents and other prey they generally feast on is the best way to get rid of them.
• Light introduction: Some people think introducing light into the space will deter animals from living there, but this requires raising the building and/or removing vegetation around it. This is often highly impractical, and may cost more than just covering the area properly.
• Water: Others try purposely wetting the ground under the structure to encourage animals to leave, but not only is this a limited move in terms of effectiveness, it will encourage mold growth and mosquito presence.

Protecting Your Space

For legitimate protection against animals under your shed, the best solution is a true defensive barrier. There are several such products on the market, including several spike panels or others that are driven into the ground and protect the shed’s undersize not only from above-ground animals, but also from many that may burrow just underneath the ground. Some DIY homeowners may be able to construct their own such barrier – if you’re attempting this, just be sure you aren’t damaging any of the shed’s base or surrounding areas.

For more on protecting your shed from animals living underneath it, or to learn about any of our new sheds, garages or other structures, speak to the staff at A-Shed USA today.