How To Handle A Squirrel Infestation
While squirrels may be adorable to watch prance around your neighborhood, these critters can actually cause quite a bit of damage to your home. They will chew through wires, wood, insulation, and use your attic as a home. Don't let the squirrels take over, as there are some things you can do about it.
Signs of Squirrel Damage
If squirrels have made their way into your attic, you'll most likely hear them before you see them. Squirrels will scratch the wood, run around, and generally make enough noise where you will realize something is going on.
Check the exterior of your home for an entry point, ideally where you have wood that could have rotted around your roof. If you cannot find an entry point, it's still possible that there is one. Check the attic for signs that squirrels have been in there causing damage. The type of damage squirrels can do is not possible for mice, so look for large holes in wood and chewed wires.
Squirrel droppings are also a clear sign of a squirrel infestation. They are oblong pellets about 3/8 inch long, and start out dark brown but get lighter over time.
Prevent An Infestation
The key is to keep the squirrels off your roof, and you can do that by trimming long branches that are hanging over your home. Trim back branches so they are no closer than 8-10 feet from your roof.
If you cannot trim the branches, you can keep squirrels off the tree with some sheet metal. Wrap a 2 foot sheet metal band around the tree trunk approximately 8 feet off the ground. The squirrels won't be able to climb the tree because they'll slide right off the sheet metal.
There are also products you can buy that are designed to repel squirrels away from your home. They work by producing an odor that is offensive to them, and discourage squirrels from making a nest.
Remove The Pests
A typical homeowner may not have the skills and tools necessary to get rid of squirrels that have made a home in your attic, which is why you should call a professional pest removal company like IPM - Intelligent Pest Management. They will be able to remove the squirrels in a humane way, using traps to catch the squirrels and release them far away.
It's important to deal with pests as soon as you notice them. Ignoring them will only lead to more damage, and a bigger repair bill.
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