Heavy thumping and slow walking overhead at night — enough to sound like someone's up there? November is when Stoneham's raccoons stop wandering and commit to a winter den, and with the Middlesex Fells and Spot Pond filling half the town, no Stoneham roofline is far from raccoon country. An attic or chimney on a wooded street here is exactly the warm, dry shelter they're checking for.

 

Harvey's Animal Evictions LLC is a licensed Massachusetts wildlife removal company based in Wilmington, with our shop in Medford. We humanely remove raccoons from Stoneham attics, chimneys, and walls, and seal the entry points so the next raccoon doesn't move into the same spot.

 

Signs raccoons have moved in

• Thumping, walking, or slow scratching sounds in the attic or ceiling, mostly at night

• Chattering or growling from the chimney or wall voids

• Torn or pried soffits, roof vents, or chimney caps — raccoons are strong and pull building materials apart

• A raccoon seen on the roof at dusk, or coming down out of the Fells side of the neighborhood after dark

• Tipped trash barrels and scattered garbage — a sign raccoons are working the street, even before one gets in

• Droppings in the attic (raccoons use one spot as a latrine) and torn-up insulation

 

A raccoon inside isn't just noise. Raccoons are strong enough to tear ductwork, pull apart roof vents, and damage wiring, and they compress and soil insulation wherever they den. Raccoon droppings can carry parasites you don't want in the house. And a raccoon setting up in November is settling in for the whole winter.

 

Where Stoneham raccoons get in

Stoneham is practically built into raccoon habitat: the Middlesex Fells Reservation and Spot Pond fill the southern half of town, wooded lot lines run behind the Capes, colonials, and ranches on the streets off Main Street and up toward the Winchester and Woburn lines, and backyard bird feeders and barrels give a raccoon a reason to pass your house every night. Given the chance, they'll test it for a way in:

 

• Uncapped chimneys — a raccoon's favorite den: warm, vertical, and protected

• Roof returns and soffits — pried or rotted open where roof meets wall

• Roof and gable vents — pulled apart by an animal that works with its hands

• Gaps where additions, dormers, and porches meet the original house — every roofline change leaves small openings

• Under decks, porches, and sheds — ground-level dens at the wooded edge of the yard

• Overhanging Fells-side trees and utility lines — the highway that gets them to the roof in the first place

 

From Spot Pond to the town center, the pattern is the same: if a raccoon can reach your roofline, it is testing the weak spots — and in November it only needs one to work.

 

How we get them out — and keep them out

Every job starts with an inspection, which you can book online through our website. We don't give estimates over the phone or online, because the plan depends on what we find: the entry points, where they're denning, and how much sealing the house needs.

 

1. Inspection — We find every entry point, locate the denning area, and check the damage, then give you a clear plan and price before any work starts.

2. Humane removal — Raccoons are removed safely and humanely using live traps and, where the situation fits, one-way exclusion devices that let them leave but not get back in.

3. Exclusion and repairs — We seal entry points with durable materials a raccoon can't pry apart: chimney caps, vent covers, and soffit and roof-line repairs. Raccoons are strong, so the sealing has to be stronger than they are.

4. Cleanup — We can remove soiled insulation and nesting material and sanitize the space, including latrine areas.

See our full raccoon removal process and our wildlife exclusion and damage repair services.

 

Why Stoneham homeowners call Harvey's

• Licensed Massachusetts Problem Animal Control agents

• Wildlife only — no bugs, mice, or rats; nuisance wildlife is all we do

• Removal + exclusion together — the raccoons are out and the holes are sealed, so the attic stays empty

• 24/7 emergency service — a raccoon loose in the living space doesn't wait for business hours

• Based in Wilmington with our shop in Medford — in Stoneham for jobs regularly

 

Stoneham raccoon questions

How much does raccoon removal cost in Stoneham?

It depends on the entry points, how much damage there is, and how much exclusion work the house needs, so we never quote a price without looking. Every job starts with an inspection — book online through our website, and the inspection fee is confirmed at booking. After the inspection, you get a clear price before any work starts.

 

Once they're out, will more raccoons move in?

Not through the same holes. Other raccoons will test a house that's sheltered a den before — with the Fells right there, there's always another raccoon coming down out of the woods — which is why we seal every entry point we find, including the ones they're not using yet, with materials they can't pry apart.

 

Can a raccoon really get in through the chimney?

Yes — it's one of the most common Stoneham calls. An uncapped chimney is a hollow, protected vertical space, and raccoons climb down the flue walls easily. If you hear chattering or scratching from the fireplace, don't light a fire to drive it out; call us and we'll get it out humanely and fit a cap so it can't happen again.

 

Do you handle other animals in Stoneham?

Yes — squirrels, bats, skunks, woodchucks, opossums, birds, and more, plus mole and vole lawn treatment. See the full list on our FAQ page.

 

Book your inspection

A raccoon den in the attic gets more expensive — and riskier — the longer it stays. Book an inspection online, or call 1-800-692-0406 — emergency service, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.