Squirrels Moved In? Let’s Give Them Their Eviction Notice!

When they’re happily scampering around your local park, it’s fair enough to think that squirrels are cute, cuddly and playful.

When they’re in your attic, it’s an entirely different matter.

Squirrels can cause huge amounts of damage to attic spaces and they can also carry a wide range of parasites and diseases. Left unchecked, they’ve been known to cause electrical fires and structural damage in both residential and commercial properties, so it’s important to remove squirrels from attic spaces as soon as you discover they’re there.

Signs of Squirrels in the Attic

Squirrels love an attic: they tend to be warm, dry and safe spaces to nest. Of course, seeing squirrels scurrying in through gaps in your roof or eaves is a telltale sign that they’ve chosen your place as their home.

You may hear noises coming from the attic space – things like banging and thumping, as squirrels are actually pretty heavy for their size. Listen carefully and you may hear scratching sounds, too.

Droppings and urine can also give their presence away. The smell of urine or spotting droppings – which are around 8mm long, cylindrical and brown – will give you a clue that squirrels are to blame.

You may spot signs of nesting materials in your loft – things like string, torn-up insulation materials, paper or leaves – and the biggest sign is often damage. You might spot teeth marks in wood, window frames, walls, electrical wires or flooring. You may have water damage in your attic from tiles that have been displaced by squirrels, or rain seeping into damaged roof structures. Your insulation foam may have been removed to use as nesting material, and scratch marks from squirrel claws may be visible.

In the worst cases, squirrel activity such as chewing through wires and filling your attic with dry nesting material can cause fires. If you’re wondering how to get rid of squirrels in attic spaces so this doesn’t happen, read on…

DIY Methods for Removing Squirrels

There are various ways to remove squirrels from attic spaces yourself.

There are humane traps which catch live squirrels – however, these come with complications. It is illegal to release trapped grey squirrels into the wild as they are a non-native species, meaning that any squirrels caught in the traps must be exterminated. Squirrels are territorial and aggressive, so this DIY solution can be risky.

Squirrel repellents include ammonia, as well as products designed to replicate the scent of one of their predators. Motion-detection lights and anything noisy – even a stereo playing music – may also help to deter them, but it’s not guaranteed that they will stay away.

The best solution? Call in professional squirrel removal services.

Why Professional Help is Better

Professional squirrel removal services have the experience and expertise – and the knowledge of wildlife laws – needed to get the job done safely, effectively and legally.

Different companies will use different removal methods, but they’ll all be able to track the squirrels’ path, establish entry and exit points and both remove and proof against future infestations.

When you’re looking to understand how to get rid of squirrels in attic spaces, a DIY approach may seem quicker and cheaper. Unless you are experienced in handling aggressive pests, though – and unless you are happy dispatching trapped squirrels – the professional approach will always be best. It will also protect your property not just now, but in the future too.

Pest Stop Boys’ Squirrel Removal Services

After we’ve inspected your property to establish the location of the nest and the entry and exit points, we’ll both remove the squirrels and proof your property against them returning.

At Pest Stop Boys, we use humane trapping methods to remove squirrels from attic spaces. Once trapped, we have a range of humane, non-toxic methods to eliminate them.

We’ll then use specialist proofing materials to block them from returning – materials that are designed to withstand their persistent nature and their sharp teeth!

If you’d like to hear more about our squirrel removal services, drop us a message here.

Preventive Measures to Keep Squirrels Out

While you may not be comfortable trapping and disposing of squirrels yourself, there are things you can do to squirrel-proof your attic to reduce the likelihood of them entering.

Removing sources of food – like bird feeders and food scraps on compost heaps – can prevent them from being enticed to your garden, while cutting back tree branches can reduce their access to your roof space.

Regular attic and roof inspections will help you to see if there are any obvious entry points that need to be blocked, and will also give you the opportunity to spot early signs of squirrel presence.

You don’t need to do this alone, though. Professional preventative services – like ours – can make the job easier and less stressful for you.

Conclusion

If you suspect those banging noises or scratches on wood in your attic are caused by squirrels, act quickly. At their best, these pests can disturb your peace – at their worst, they can cause untold damage – and fires – within your property.

We’ve spent years removing squirrels from properties in the Brighton and Worthing area – and with our industry certifications, our years of experience, our knowledge of wildlife laws and our armoury of humane, non-toxic pest control solutions, we’re here to help. Get in touch for more information.