How To Get Rid Of Squirrels In Roof

What Damage Can Squirrels Do In The Attic

Squirrels get babies twice in a year. During spring and fall. At these times, they are constantly looking for shelter to build their nests. Squirrels can easily get into your attic by chewing holes from outside, typically above the gutters. They could also get into your attic by chewing trim corners or weak areas that will grant them access into your attic.

Often, squirrels will cause damage to your attic insulation or will chew through your cabling and electrical wires. More significantly, is the damage they can cause to the exterior of your attic. As they give birth to more litters, they will grow, leave their initial nest and build different nests within your attic.

In case their population is not controlled, they will continuously chew holes throughout your attic, and sometimes, through every corner of your house. This could potentially cause your house to collapse in case the structural beams have been chewed up and are not strong enough to hold it anymore. They could also cause a potential fire hazard when they chew through your electrical wiring. The longer squirrels stay in your attic, the more entry point they are likely to create.

How Do You Find Squirrel Entry Points

This is probably the least complicated task of all look up.

Squirrels almost always gain entrance to houses through the attic. Occasionally they’ll come in through the crawl space if you live in a pier-and-beam house. But by and large, they come in from the roof.

Once they come in, they can sometimes wind up in the walls, but for the most part, they’re in the attic. This is where they’ll gain entry by gnawing a hole in the fascia or squirming in through some loose boards or gaps left during construction. Before you start looking though, there’s one important thing you need to know.

A pest control technician’s first and best tool is a flashlight.

In this instance, you’re the pest control tech. Walk around your house with a bright flashlight looking up under the eaves all the way around.

We don’t care if it’s in the middle of the day, you’re looking under the eaves and it will be darker up there. Get the brightest, strongest flashlight you can find.

A flashlight will help you see the gaps and tiny holes they’re using to get in. Put your head right against the wall so you can see straight up.

You’ll be surprised how many gaps you’ll find. Take a pad of paper with you and sketch the outline of your house, noting where all the gaps are.

Then pay close attention to areas where the squirrels have enlarged the gaps by gnawing and chewing. They don’t like squirming into their home any more than you do, so they’ll enlarge the opening.

Squirrels Are Very Territorial

• Once squirrels take up residence in your attic, they stake it off as their territory. In large attics, one end is will become nesting area and the opposite end the latrine. That unmistakable odor of urine that is imbedded in your attic marks their territory.
• The life span of the Eastern Grey Squirrel ranges from three and eight years. In houses with infestations spanning decades, generations of squirrels may have been born in a single house.
• A squirrel mates in early winter and produces offspring by late spring. The average litter consists of four squirrels. A second litter in midsummer is not uncommon. Usually, there is a food stash of nuts stored in the walls, attracting many more squirrels to your house than you might have previously imagined.

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How To Get Rid Squirrels In The Attic

The following recommendations combine advice, rules, and tips to hasten the elimination of squirrels from the attic:

• Take away foodstuff, the smell is likely to attract squirrels. Clean the attic from everything that can be used for nesting: paper, old wallpaper, wool things, etc.
• Place your pets hairs around the attic. The permanent feeling of an enemy will frighten the pests.
• Dampen cotton cloths in ammonia and place them wherever squirrels can gather. The sharp smell will drive the animals away. After your tattle tails disappear, switch on a ventilator or air ionizer to clean the air.
• Place around the attic small cotton balls or pieces of fabric dampened in naphthalene: near boxes, in corners, wherever else youve seen rodent activity. To increase the repelling impact, combine it with other types of rodent-repelling substances or essential oils. But be careful: naphthalene is highly flammable and classified as a dangerous fire hazard.

Will Squirrels Leave Attic On Their Own

Squirrels wont always leave on their own, especially if theyve already given birth to a litter. If you seal up the final entry point when the adult squirrel leaves while the baby squirrels are still in the attic or walls, they will need to be removed by a pest management professional, dead or alive.

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Call A Pest Control Company

Getting squirrels out of your attic by yourself is possible, but can sometimes be difficult or risky. If you think theres a large population of squirrels in your home, or youre not comfortable encountering a squirrel, its time to call a pest control company. Make sure to research the company before scheduling a service.

Solve The Squirrel Problem Now

Theres always the option of hiring a professional pest control company to come out and clear your home of these annoying creatures, but that can get to be pretty expensive. The price is going to keep increasing too if they have to return multiple times. Instead, you can take care of the issue on your own for a fraction of the cost with the Ultrasonic Squirrel Repeller.

How does being squirrel-free in just 72 hours or less sound to you? Pretty good at this point we bet! Whats even better is if you order your Ultrasonic Squirrel Repeller and it doesnt get rid of your pests, you can contact our friendly customer service department for a full refund! Thats right we are 100% confident that our product is going to work for you, so were willing to give you this device with no risk to your wallet. Call or order online today!

The Ultrasonic Squirrel Repeller emits high-frequency sounds that squirrels cant stand to be around. Its safe for you, your family, and even small pets, but it will cause squirrels to leave their newfound home and try somewhere else.

All you have to do is plug in the Ultrasonic Squirrel Repeller and let it do its job. After a very short time, three days or less, the squirrels, their nest, and even the babies will move to a quieter location. You can have peace of mind that the job has been completed humanely as well, as the sound doesnt cause any problems with the pests. They simply want to get out of there.

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Figure Out If Baby Squirrels Are In Your House

If a mother with a litter is involved, getting rid of the squirrels is more complicated. If you seal up your house so the mother cant return, the mama will spend all her waking hours trying to get them out. Plus, youll end up with dead baby squirrels inside your home.

Heres how to check for babies:

• Put on a headlamp, gloves, and a dust mask, then head into the attic or under the house.
• Look for a nest within 20 feet or so of the squirrels doorway.
• Dont get too close because if the mama squirrel thinks youre after her young, shell attack.
• Make some noise and listen for babies.

If theres a squirrel family, the humane thing to do is to let them continue to live in your house for two months or so until the babies are old enough to leave on their own.

Otherwise, call in a wildlife control professional to trap and remove them.

Do You See Entry Points

Chewing comes naturally to squirrels, as it does to all rodents. Their front teeth are constantly growing so they will gnaw and chew on hard objects to whittle their teeth down, and to sharpen them.

They can squeeze through a 1/2-inch gap to get into your house, or simply chew their way in through the insulation, drywall, and plywood to gain entry.

In addition to chewing a hole in the siding of your house, they’ll also chew on the exposed wires in the attic. Sometimes they’ll chew so far through it they’ll electrocute themselves. It usually blows a fuse in the breaker box when it happens.

These chewed wires can also cause electrical house fires, as noted by a company in Surrey, England. That’s in addition to neighborhood-wide blackouts caused by squirrels chewing on power lines and transformers. Even the New York Times wrote about that a few years ago.

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How To Get Rid Of Squirrels Nest In The House

Besides being freeloaders, squirrels often feel comfortable enough to create a family of your own right under your rooftop. Once youve chased the initial invader away, you will need to check the perimeter in case the animal has left any offspring behind. The steps weve outlined below are especially important to follow if youve spotted the squirrel in the months of February through May or August through October, which is the duration of their breeding periods.

Alright I Got Them Out How Do I Keep Squirrels From Coming Back

Squirrel removal is step one. Step two is keeping them out. Squirrels are notoriously persistent and will move back in if you dont take appropriate measures.

The pest control company or exterminator will probably offer to do the work themselves, for a fee. A really, really excessive fee. Really though, if you are good with hand tools and know how to cut some wood and bend some sheet metal, you should be fine doing it yourself. Heres what you should do:

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How Long Do Squirrels Live

How long squirrels live depends upon their environment. Most of America has harsh winter weather and hot, humid summers with plenty of stormy skies year-round. Surviving in the American wild isnt easy. Living in unfavorable conditions while being exposed to weather extremes without treatment for medical problems shortens all lives.

Rural squirrels typically live five to 10 years under harsh circumstances. Coyotes are a major predator of squirrels in rural areas, and in prairie states with thinner forests, there are fewer places to hide. Squirrel populations stay well under control. When squirrels live in well-protected homes, like attics, and enjoy healthy diets with plentiful food sources and few diseases, they can live up to 20 years.

Exclusion And Relocation Of Squirrels

After trapping and relocating the squirrels you can seal the openings with 1/4″ mesh hardware cloth or metal flashing. Look for all possible entry points. If you are not handy with tools, many nuisance wildlife control companies will seal entry points with a year’s guarantee for a fee.

Squirrel Exclusion Products

There are several exclusion product that we recommend. Use a copper mesh wool or Xcluder Fill Fabric to stuff into holes and bigger openings. For smaller openings, use Foams in an aerosol form such as Pur Black NF Foam. It fills and seals voids.

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Why Do I Have Squirrels In The Attic

Intreprid Squirrel Gaining Access to Shed through Chewed Gable Vent

Squirrels often nest in attics in homes when they have an available entry point or when trees on or around the property were recently cut down.

Do not despair! Squirrels naturally build nests in trees and once you give squirrels the proper eviction notice you will no longer have squirrels nesting in your attic.

Squirrels are often most active in the early mornings and the resulting noise can sometimes be easily heard as scratching on your bedroom ceiling.

A squirrel will often exploit a weak point in the roof line along your home in the fascia board, soffit, flashing areas, valleys, eaves and gables. Once a single hole is made into the home as squirrels begin to enter and exit the attic they will make a 2nd exit hole most often on the opposite side of the attic.

As the squirrels continue to enter and exit the attic space, if the initial holes or routes are left open, they will begin to build a nest tin the attic, create an area to store food and pick a spot to use the bathroom.

The biggest danger to your home posed by squirrels are house fires caused by squirrels chewing electrical wires. Squirrels need to gnaw to keep their teeth short and wiring in attics is similar to tree branches where you can often see them running the branch through their teeth.

How To Get Rid Of Attic Squirrels In 72 Hours Or Less

July 29, 2018 By Nick Phillips

With Over 1 Million Units Sold Worldwide, This is The Most Affordable Solution For Your Home!

If youve got squirrels in your attic, ceiling, or crawlspace- dont despair. Even if youve already tried making them leave by using mothballs or traps, there is a better, simpler way. Before we get to that, however, you need to be committed. Yes, squirrels and generally considered adorable, but you must not, under any circumstances, let them live in your attic. Why? Read on.

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Trapping And Removing Squirrels

The Use Of Repellents

Every animal has that smell that they cant stand as it may choke them, make them feel sick, or even spook them. For squirrels, this has got to be predator urine that is parked in spray bottles.

Examples of predator urine include fox and coyote urine, whose smell mimics the real odor of coyote and fox urine.

To be effective, spray the squirrel predator urine around the yard, garden, and even independent trees. The squirrels will get the smell and think there is prey lurking around, and they will scurry away.

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Mothballs And Squirrels In The Attic

Mothballs are an alternative method used to get rid of squirrels in your home. However, using this remedy needs extreme care. Mothballs are harmful, and have negative aspects, especially if you have young children and pets in your home. Mothballs are made of naphthalene and work to remove squirrels from your attic. However, its only a short-term remedy. This is because the smell of the mothballs over time fades and the squirrels will get back.

Mothballs are normally placed in the attic to chase squirrels away. When the squirrels have moved out, it is important that any holes that are left in the attic are repaired. Any food that the squirrels were eating also needs to be removed, or the squirrels will return.

As stated, mothballs are a risky method to get rid of squirrels, since they are highly poisonous to pets and people. In case you have pets and small children, you should not use this method. There are better forms of squirrel repellents that are less hazardous and potent than mothballs. Human urine, a rag soaked in ammonia or pine scented cleaner diluted with a gallon of water will suffice.

You could also contact your local squirrel removal expert to perform this task for you. They will have easier, safer alternatives for getting rid of the pest stress-free.

All You Need To Know About Squirrels

Squirrels eat and gnaw on everything they can reach. Chisel-shaped incisors and strong muscles in the lower jaw help them to crack and grind hard surfaces. Front and back teeth constantly grow, making squirrels gnaw on anything just to wear them down, and here everything goes even electrical conductors.

The squirrels are relatively smart, which makes them harder to trick. High intelligence and acquired skills allow them to get any food they want. Birds nests are highly attractive to squirrels. The squirrels destroy them, settle in and begin to multiply. Their high resistance explains their dynamic assimilation and the aggressive reproduction in any climate. Over the year, the number of animals may double several times.

Squirrels eat nuts, seeds, fruits, even frogs and nestlings, however, they dont digest cellulose. They eat vegetables and food rich in carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Remember these facts whenever else you decide to bait and trap the squirrels.

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