Squirrels, with their bushy tails and acrobatic moves, can be fun to watch as they run and jump through the trees. But if these cute animals decide to move into your attic, they can quickly go from being furry friends to dangerous enemies. Problems with squirrels in the attic are more common than you might think, and you need to take care of them quickly to protect your home and give yourself peace of mind. Let’s talk about why squirrels like to live in attics, what problems they can cause, and how to get rid of them.
Why do squirrels like to live in attics?
Squirrels are very flexible animals, and living in cities gives them many places to live and eat. During the breeding season, attics are great places for birds to nest because they are warm and protected. Here are some of the reasons rats might like your attic:
- Protection from predators: Cats and dogs, which hunt on the ground, can’t hurt you in an attic.
- Warmth and comfort: Attics are nice places to be because they are warm and well protected. This is especially appealing during cold winters and breeding seasons.
- Lots of things to use as nesting material: Squirrels often use insulation to build their nests, which makes attics an easy place to find it.
- Closeness to Food: Squirrels are good at finding food, and places like bird feeders and parks are often easy for them to get to in cities.
How squirrels in the attic cause trouble
Even though squirrels may seem innocent, when they live in your attic, they can cause a number of problems:
- Damage to the structure: Squirrels are good at chewing, and they can gnaw on wooden beams, electrical wires, and insulation, which could cause a lot of damage to the structure. Even worse, gnawed wires can cause fires.
- Noise: Squirrels are not quiet guests. Their running, scratching, and chewing can be annoying, especially during the day when they are most energetic.
- Health concerns: Squirrel poop and urine in your attic can be bad for your health because they can carry diseases and attract other bugs like fleas and ticks.
- Reproduction: Squirrels have a lot of babies quickly, so if you don’t do anything, a few squirrels in your attic can quickly turn into a bigger group.
How to Deal with Squirrels in the Attic
If you think rats have moved into your attic, you need to take care of the problem right away. Here’s a step-by-step plan for getting rid of squirrels in the attic:
- Inspect: First, look for signs of squirrel activity in your attic, such as chewed wires, droppings, nests, or places where they can get in.
- Find the entrances: Find out how the squirrels are getting into your attic. Bugs often get in through holes in the roof, broken vents, and chimneys that aren’t shut.
- Block the entrances: Once you’ve found the entry places, close them off to stop anyone else from getting in. Use steel wire or hardware cloth instead of wood or plastic, which squirrels can chew right through.
- Use one-way doors. If squirrels are already in your attic, you may want to place one-way doors at their entry points to make sure they can leave but not come back.
- Get rid of squirrels. If there are still squirrels in your attic, wait until they leave (usually during the day) and then seal the places where they can get in. Make sure no baby rats were left behind. If there were, they should be carefully removed.
- Clean and sanitize: Thoroughly clean and sanitize your attic to get rid of any droppings, pee, or nests. This will help get rid of some health risks.
- Don’t let them come back. Once the squirrels are gone, take steps to keep them from coming back. This could mean cutting back trees that hang over the roof, securing attic windows and vents, and using products that keep squirrels away.
- Talk to the Experts: If you don’t know what to do or if the situation is complicated, you might want to talk to a pest control professional. They know how to deal with the problem and have the right tools to do so.
Squirrels are cute animals in their natural environment, but they can be annoying if they move into your attic. Problems with squirrels in the attic can cause damage to the building, health problems, and noise. By acting quickly to figure out what’s wrong and fix it, you can make sure your home is quiet and squirrel-free. Getting rid of attic squirrels is important for protecting your property and your peace of mind, whether you do it yourself or hire a professional.
Professional and effective squirrel removal in Cobourg. Our services are performed by fully trained and experienced wildlife control specialists that have a wide set of tools available to get the job done.