Squirrels may look endearing when rushing across your yard, pausing to nibble on fallen acorns, but they’re far from a furry friend when they make their way inside your home, transforming your attic into a home of their own.
A squirrel infestation in your attic is more than just a nuisance; it’s a danger to your home. Not only can they gnaw away at your insulation and damage shingles, but they can also chew into electrical wire, resulting in thousands of house fires each year.
Since squirrels can do so much damage to your home, you’ll want to evict them as soon as possible. But how do you remove squirrels from your home ethically and effectively, ensuring that they do not come back?
At Nuisance Wildlife Rangers, we can help you solve a squirrel infestation in a manner that ensures you and the squirrel’s safety. Additionally, we can provide you with professional advice to prevent further infestations from occurring.
How Squirrels Can Damage Your Attic and Your Roof
When you think of animals living in your attic, you probably imagine rats or opossums. However, squirrels could also take up residency in your attic, especially when they are looking for a safe place to hide their babies.
While squirrels can be incredibly cute, they can cause significant damage to your attic. For example, they might rip up your insulation, chew through wires in your attic, or sharpen their teeth on wooden beams or surfaces.
Additionally, squirrels often come into your attic through the roof. This means they have peeled up your roof shingles or chewed through the decking of your roof to enter. Unfortunately, this kind of damage can be extremely expensive to fix.
Even further, when you have squirrels raising their young in your attic, they will make messes. Squirrel excrement can spread diseases like leptospirosis, Salmonellosis, and tularemia, which can be dangerous to humans and household pets.
Should You Eliminate Squirrels From Your Attic on Your Own?
The best way to eliminate squirrels from your attic is to trap them and relocate them into their natural habitat away from your home. However, doing so on your own could be dangerous. For example, when attempting to trap a squirrel they could become defensive, causing them to bite you.
Since removing squirrels on your own is too risky, you should always contact a professional wildlife removal company. At Nuisance Wildlife Rangers, we trap squirrels safely, ensuring that no one is harmed during the process (including the squirrels and their young). Additionally, we will relocate them to a safe location away from your home, preventing them from coming back.
How Do Professional Wildlife Removal Companies Get Rid of Squirrels in Your Attic?
Professional animal removal companies like Nuisance Wildlife Rangers often use different tactics to remove animals from your attic based on the type of animal that is present. For squirrels, it is common to use traps or one-way door excluders. Understanding exactly how we get squirrels out of your attic might help you gain clarity on why it’s best to leave it to the professionals.
Locating the Squirrel Nest
The first step in removing squirrels from your attic is finding their nest. They often construct nests in your attic using materials like cardboard, leaves, and pieces of insulation. Additionally, it is important to ensure that the nests leave with their mother, as baby squirrels rely on them to survive.
Sealing Openings in Your Attic
Squirrels use small entry points to gain access to your attic. Honestly, these animals can squeeze into some tight spaces, making it difficult to identify each hole they could be using. Professional wildlife removal companies have years of experience in identifying these holes, allowing them to seal all openings the squirrels might be using with ease.
Using a One-Way Door Excluder
Once the entry points are sealed, a type of cage will be installed that is referred to as a one-way door excluder. The cage will be positioned by one unsealed entry point to allow squirrels to leave the attic. Once a squirrel leaves, the door will shut behind it, preventing it from coming back into your home.
How to Prevent Squirrels from Getting Back in Your Attic
Once a professional wildlife removal company has ridden your attic of squirrels, you must take steps to ensure they do not return.
The easiest ways to prevent squirrels from getting back into your attic include:
- Trimming trees near the roofline
- Changing the type of food you use in your bird feeders
- Place a plastic owl on your roof to scare away squirrels
- Use a taste-repellent around the perimeter of your home composed of garlic, water, and vinegar
- Use a motion-active sprinkler system
- Seal entry points
- Consult with a pest control specialist for extra tips on repelling squirrels from your property
South Florida Squirrel Removal You Can Rely On
If you or a loved one has recently noticed that squirrels are living in your attic, it’s time to contact a wildlife removal company. At Nuisance Wildlife Rangers, we understand the importance of maintaining the local ecosystem, so we only use ethical methods to remove squirrels from your home.
To learn more about how we can help you get rid of squirrels in your attic or restore your attic after damage, contact us today.