How To Get Rid Of Squirrels In The Walls And Attics
For people who see squirrels in movies, they seem like such nice little animals. However, these are a menace in the home. They bite into insulation, electrical wiring, and boards and end up causing significant damage to your property. Before you start on how to get rid of squirrels, you have to make sure you have a squirrel infestation. How do you know if you have squirrels in your home?
- Look out for teeth marks in wood or wire, chewed electrical wires and air vent damage.
- Hearing scratching, scurrying, and chewing sounds from the walls, attic, ceiling or crawl spaces.
- Squirrel footprints. Front paws with four toes and back paws with five.
- Visible water damage on the walls and attic
- A foul odor coming from the air vents, ceiling, or attic.
After you notice any of these signs what steps do you take?
Find possible entry points
Locate all entry points in your home then seal up all of them except one. Make sure windows and doors are fitted properly and covered with fitted screens. You can place wire mesh over chimney tops and open vents. Seal all other openings with steel wool or other appropriate materials. Get a pest management professional to advice you on the best defense for your home. The most obvious access point should be loosely covered in case you want to place a trap.
Use squirrel repellent
If you’ve located the nesting spot, soak a rag in ammonia then place it near the nesting spot. Ammonia has a strong smell that irritates squirrels. You can also use pepper-based repellents to increase the effectiveness of the repellant.
Keep the attic lit
Use bright light like overhead lights in the attic. The squirrels feel uncomfortable and exposed and they opt to move out of the attic. Use ammonia repellent together with this technique to increase effectiveness.
Trap the squirrel
Remember when we said seal all other entries except one, this makes the trap more effective. Find a section that the squirrel frequents and place it in a corner or near the wall. Make sure its legal to trap a squirrel in your area by contacting wildlife specialist. Get a safe squirrel trap intended for squirrels. The wrong one might harm the squirrel or enable it to escape.
Contact a professional
Getting rid of squirrels is tougher than it sounds. If you think you have a squirrel infestation, contact a professional. He can determine how many squirrels you have and advice on the best way to make your home squirrel and rodent free. A professional gets rid of the squirrels faster and more effectively then helps up your home’s defenses to avoid re-entry.
