Wednesday, July 24, 2024
HomeEditor PicksHow To Get Squirrels Out Of Your Roof

How To Get Squirrels Out Of Your Roof

Buy Fox Urine For Squirrels

How To Get Rid Of Squirrels in Your Attic

Squirrels, raccoons, and other animals fear foxes. They detect foxes and other predators by their smell. Buy a bottle of fox urine for the squirrels in your home. Spray the urine on the ground around the yard and near tree branches.

The squirrels will detect the smell and believe that a fox lurks nearby. They will then run away, scampering for safety.

Do Squirrels Damage Gutters Too

Though squirrels have a strong reputation for chewing through wood, they dont frequently chew through metal with the same veracity.

This means that, when it comes to direct damage, your gutters are mostly safe. Still, there are other ways in which the presence of squirrels can disrupt the functionality of your gutters.

In addition to having an instinctive need to grind down their teeth, squirrels also have a drive to hide their treasures. Frequently, your gutter can become one of their favorite places to store nuts, sticks, and other goodies.

This may sound fine in theory, but once those heavy spring rains fall, these stockpiles can create blockages, leading water to pour where you least want.

Morbidly, squirrels can also cause a drainage problem in another way: by dying in the gutters.

If youve ever had or known anyone who has a pet rodent, you likely know about their joy of tunneling. Many hamster or rat cages come equipped with tunnels for exactly this purpose.

Squirrels are no different from other rodents in this way. Their adoration of tunneling drives them to travel your gutters, almost as a game.

Unfortunately, its also easy for them to become stuck this way. Once trapped in a gutter, a squirrel is likely to eventually starve to death before it can wiggle itself free, becoming an unfortunate, disgusting clog in your drainage system.

Ways To Keep Squirrels Off The Roof And Out Of Soffits

We have learned how important it is to keep the critters off your roof. Now it is time to look at how you can do this. There are many ways of getting rid of squirrels.

Your choice of a specific method depends on the circumstances. Here are some of the most effective ways of getting rid of squirrels.

Read Also: What Is An Ice Dam On A Roof

Keeping Squirrels Out Of Trees

For starters, you want to squirrel-proof any landscaping near your home. If you have a tree close to your house, especially if the tree branches hang over the roofline, trim those back.Even with doing that, sometimes you will miss something. This is the access point for my problem. This weeping Yaupon is a favorite for the invaders in my home.Even though I have it trimmed away from the house and there are no obvious branches hanging over the house, it is still close enough for them to scurry up it and jump to the roofline. Which is exactly what they do.

So, if the tree presents a situation where you cant completely prevent access to your roof, you have a few options. One, you could just cut it down.If that is not an option for you, you can make a baffle to go around large trunks. Purchasable baffles* are available that will work on smaller trucks. This will prevent them from climbing up. However, if an adjacent trees limbs extend over this tree, they can still jump across. So, keep that in mind.

Using A Repellent To Deter Squirrels From The Attic

How Are Squirrels Getting Into My Attic

If youre wondering how to catch a squirrel in the attic but dont actually want to go through the trouble of using a cage trap, try using a commercial repellent to chase the critter from the area and keep them out.

Squirrel Repellent

There are two different types of squirrel repellents on the market. One uses the scent of predators to chase squirrels away, while the other uses chemicals.

Whichever one you choose, read the instructions before using it to ensure proper application. Spray the liquid directly in areas where you notice squirrel activity and near entry holes.

Recommended Reading: How To Standing Seam Metal Roof

Tips On How To Get Rid Of Squirrels In Your Roofs Attic

If you find an unwanted rodent house guest, consider live-trapping, and use deterrents to prevent future inhabitants.

Does the sound of something crawling around your attic keep you up at night? Perhaps you dared to peek inside and spotted piles of leaves and other organic debris. A squirrel may be living in your attic. Keep reading to learn how to get rid of these pests and stop them from returning.

Understanding How Squirrels Function Can Shed Light

Now, I know everything that I needed to do to keep the squirrels out. I will get to that in a minute. But, before I got started with evictions, I wanted to understand the law for my area and the most humane actions to take.I also wanted to get an understanding of their behavior. In the past, I had always handled repairs prior to a problem occurring. Having an actual battle of wills with squirrels was a first for me.

So, I began by checking with my states wildlife control center. I also checked with my states law and with the Humane Society. The combination really helped me with deciding on how to deal with my issue.

Recommended Reading: Does My Home Warranty Cover Roof Leaks

Read Also: How Much Does Rubber Roof Cost Per Square Foot

How To Get Rid Of Them

  • Never leave food out. Squirrels love food. Any type of food, really. Bird feeders, pet food bowls, compost these are all some ways that you could be attracting squirrels into your yard.
  • Keep your yard clean. Remove any fallen fruit or seeds from your yard, especially if you have a garden and/or bird feeders. Also remove any nuts, acorns, or other things that may fall from the trees in your yard.
  • Keep your trash cans tightly closed. Keep squirrels out of your trash by investing in cans with tight-fitting lids.
  • Use scare tactics. Your pet may be enough to scare squirrels away, but if you dont have one or if you need a little extra protection, place some fake owls throughout your yard to keep them away.
  • Treat your plants. This cant be used on anything youre planning to eat, but if you have some flowers or bulbs that squirrels are eating, use taste repellants. You can also sprinkle chili pepper or hot sauce near your plants to keep them away as well.
  • Plant deterrents. There are specific plants that squirrels hate, so planting them throughout your yard, especially your garden, can help keep them away. Its important to know that this method, while it can help, may not be 100% effective. Plants that squirrels hate:
  • Lily of the Valley

Sometimes, a squirrel problem can get a little nuts. Thats where we come in. If you need some professional help, weve got you covered. Just give us a call and well give you a free in-home inspection and quote!

Why Are Squirrels Making Nests In My Gutters

How to Get Rid of Squirrels in Attic or Roof

Though they may be cute from a distance, squirrels can be quite bothersome when they reside in your gutters. Oftentimes, squirrels will use tree branches as bridges to get to your homes roof. Theyll then make nests in the gutters. If you have squirrels in your gutters,

How does a squirrel get to your roof?

Oftentimes, squirrels will use tree branches as bridges to get to your homes roof. Theyll then make nests in the gutters. If you have squirrels in your gutters, youll likely hear scratching noises regularly. Squirrels can seriously damage your gutters and roofs over time.

Recommended Reading: How To Replace The Roof On A Travel Trailer

Chasing Squirrels Out Of The Attic With An Ultrasonic Repeller

One of the easiest ways to get a squirrel to leave your attic and not return is to use an ultrasonic repellent device. These units are simple to set up, less messy than using sprays, and easier than trying to catch a live rodent.

Ultrasonic Squirrel Repeller

Ultrasonic repellers emit high-frequency sound waves on a short wavelength that is too high for humans to detect. However, pests such as animals and insects detect sounds at a higher range and installing one of these units drives them away from the area.

Follow the instructions for your particular model, and plug the repeller into an outlet in the attic close to the space where squirrels enter and exit the room.

Regularly Check Your Roof And Attic For Issues

Every few months, you should inspect your roof, gutters, and attic for problems. Try working it into your seasonal cleaning or yard work schedule.

Take a walk around your house and look for any damaged shingles or issues with your gutters. If you notice any problems, fix it or call a contractor as soon as possible.

In your attic, look for any tears in insulation, strange smells, wet spots, or animal droppings. Those are all signs you could have a squirrel or raccoon problem in your attic.

Itâs also important to stay on top of any repairs. If you have weak spots in your roof, it is more vulnerable to squirrels and raccoons.

Recommended Reading: How Long Should An Asphalt Shingle Roof Last

Read Also: How To Patch A Rubber Roof

Encourage Squirrels To Stay Out Of Your Home

If necessary, close the holes thirty days after your EVICTOR® strobe light installation.

DO NOT close holes before you’ve started the process in this guide. You want to avoid additional damage! Squirrels will chew new holes to gain entry if the holes are closed too soon.

However, you want to leave a small opening for the squirrels to SEE inside your previously occupied attic/crawl space.

This way, whenever a squirrel ventures back to your house, a view of the strobe light is a REMINDER that this is one place they do not want to go back into.

Having the EVICTOR® Strobe Light visible to any returning squirrels serves as a reminder that your house is a place they don’t want to live in.

To accelerate the squirrels move out date, and encourage living outdoors, it is recommended you install a squirrel box in your yard in a nearby tree.

Squirrel boxes provide a quick place for a squirrel to call home, rather than having the squirrels take the time to build an entirely new nest.

WARNING: REMOVING ANY SQUIRREL FECES/URINE/CONTAMINATED MATERIAL MAY PUT YOU AT RISK OF POTENTIAL BIOHAZARDS. BE SURE YOU HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF THESE RISKS OR CONTACT A SPECIALIST.

How To Repel Squirrels From Our Property

Keeping Squirrels Out of Your Attic

Considering their tendency to cause trouble and their large numbers, it comes to no surprise that there are many developed options to deal with squirrels.

No matter if you want to rid them from your house or your garden, there are a bunch of tricks and tips passing around, which you could benefit from. We decided to combine many different options, working for different cases and help you by providing tested solutions for your situation.

Read Also: How To Pick A Roofer

Be Patient With A Mother Squirrel In The Attic

Your first option is to do nothing at all. Squirrels typically live in attic dens for short periods. Squirrel babies are independent at about 4 months old, when they leave the den and disperse from their family groups. If you can wait until the babies are grown and/or have left, you can then close off the access point to prevent other squirrels from using the attic as a nest in the future.

How Do You Make Apple Cider Vinegar Spray For Squirrels

Consider soaking rags in apple cider vinegar and putting them in places around your home where the squirrels frequent. Alternatively, you can pour the vinegar in a spray bottle and spray it on hard surfaces like plant pots to prevent the squirrels from digging and destroying your plants potting soil.

You May Like: What To Do If Roof Is Leaking During Storm

Professional Grey Squirrel Control

This method to get rid of the squirrels from your loft or attic is the most effective. Especially, if you dont have the necessary experience with trapping or dispatching a squirrel. In case youve already tried everything and still get bothered by the annoying squirrels, hire a professional squirrel pest control company. They might use different methods such as live traps, drey poking, shooting, spring traps, and proofing. Usually, the experts have the ability to inspect and trace the squirrels path. The pest specialists know where exactly to place the trap and always follow the laws in the UK.

How Do Squirrels Get Into Attics

Squirrel Removal From Soffits

Squirrels love attics because they are uninhabited, warm, dry, high up, and protected from predators. But the most important reason for squirrels to hide out in attics is to have babies. Once they take up residence in your attic, they will use their urine to mark the space as their territory. In spacious attics, they will use one end as a nesting area and the other end as a latrine. There’s also plenty of room to stash their food supply of nuts.

These innocent-looking pests are agile jumpers and destructive chewers, which is why they can get into attics so easily. When squirrels want to get into an attic, they can do the following:

  • Push in bricks on chimneys
  • Climb brick or stucco buildings in seconds
  • Pull apart terra cotta and slate roofs
  • Chew through shingles, wood, aluminum, and high, hard-to-reach parts of the roof
  • Squeeze themselves through holes or missing fascia boards along the roofline

Also Check: A And K Roofing Pueblo Co

The Main Reason Why Trapping Is Ineffective:

  • The holes were not found or closed after the squirrels were trapped leaving an open entrance to the attic space for nearby squirrels

  • Existing or new squirrels chewed back in after the holes were closed

  • After the nest, food storage and bathroom were established the scent is left behind and the house is now an attractive place for new squirrels moving into the territory

What Are The Signs Of Having Squirrels

If youre reading this, you already suspect that you have attic squirrels but how can you be sure? The first and most obvious thing you will notice is the sound. While mice, rats, and other common rodents are active at night, squirrels and up and about during the day as well. They will create noise, seemingly, 24/7. These sounds may be from running, scratching, chewing, and even fighting if you have multiple families vying for the same territory.

Further, obvious signs of damage are your second clue. Larger holes than mice create, exposed or frayed wires and nesting materials are all common signs. Squirrels also have a distinct, hard not to notice smell that marks their territory and nesting areas.

Recommended Reading: How To Install Skylights On Low Slope Roof

Squirrels On Roof How To Keep Them Off

No one likes seeing squirrels on the roof its not just unsightly, but it can also be unsafe if the squirrels choose to come down the side of the building and onto the siding or windowsill of your home. Luckily, there are several ways to keep rodents off the roof, including some that dont involve killing them or harming them in any way. Here are some techniques you can try to discourage squirrels from making themselves at home on your house.

Figure Out If Baby Squirrels Are In Your House

Squirrel in attic removal services

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.

Recommended Reading: A First Choice Roofing Reviews

Protecting Your Home Yard And Outbuildings From Wildlife

Wild animals can damage your home and furnishings if they decide to build a nesting area inside of it. Since many of these creatures also carry diseases, they can infect your loved ones or pets, making them ill.

Therefore, it is important to be proactive in protecting your home, yard, and outbuildings from a wildlife invasion. Youll want to evaluate your home and outbuildings for problem areas that need attention, while also clearing the yard of any debris that might tempt animals to enter the area. Doing so can minimize the risk of an infestation of pests, keeping your family and pets safe from animal bites or the transmission of diseases.

by Monique | Rodents, Squirrels

This may contain affiliate links such as amazon.com as were in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program: Full Disclosure

Have you seen squirrels jumping on your roof or heard them scurrying around up there? If so, then you might be wondering how they got up there. Well, it turns out that

Squirrels can climb up a house or run along cables to get to a roof, but they usually jump onto a roof from a tree or overhanging branches. The average tree squirrel can jump 4 feet from a tree to a roof. Flying squirrels, a type of tree squirrel, can glide up to 150 feet across.

RELATED ARTICLES

Most Popular