How to Get Rid of Squirrels in Attic

Squirrels can be cute, but they can also create significant damage inside homes and businesses. Although more than 200 different squirrels exist, the most common species found in Western Massachusetts and Upstate New York are flying squirrels, gray, and red squirrels.

These animals are athletic and smart and will enter buildings for food and shelter.

If you have heard scurrying and scampering sounds coming from above, squirrels may be uninvited guests in your home. Noises overhead are one of the chief signs that squirrels may have moved into the attic, which can be an ideal spot for them to sleep safely during the night.

These critters can be fun to watch when they are running outdoors. But inside, they can drive people a little nutty, leaving behind messes and damaging structures.

Squirrels also spread dangerous diseases. One of the safest ways to get rid of squirrels in the attic is by calling USX Pest Control. Our professionals have the skills, training, and equipment to safely remove squirrels and keep them from coming back.

Squirrels in Attics: How and Why They Move In

Like other nuisance wildlife, squirrels actively look for shelters that allow them to stay dry, warm, and safe from potential predators. They are clever, adaptable critters that often move indoors when it’s time to have their babies.

Nesting adult females love attics. These sheltered, uninhabited spaces provide an ideal place to raise their young, usually from February through May and August through October.

How they enter an attic is a key detail.

Finding the entry point is critical for preventing them from returning. Squirrels may exploit existing openings or make new ones in the roof, eaves, and vents.

Signs of Squirrels in the Attic

Hearing noises overhead is a good indication that something is in the attic. Pay attention to the timing of the sounds to determine if the likely culprit is a squirrel.

Although flying squirrels tend to be nocturnal, gray, and red squirrels typically sleep at night and are active during the day. You will likely hear noises in the early morning hours and around dusk as they exit and enter. Other signs of squirrels include:

• Foul Smells: Squirrels mark their territory with urine and droppings, and dead squirrels also create unpleasant odors.
• Teeth Marks: Squirrels love gnawing on wood. They may also chew on air vents, wires, and other surfaces.
• Footprints: Squirrels have four toes on their front paws and five toes on their rear paws.

Preventing Squirrels from Entering Attics

Prevention is always preferable to having to remove wildlife from homes and businesses. Making the roof and attic less attractive and accessible is the first step.

Start with an inspection of the roof, chimney cap, vents, and fascia. Fill gaps and cracks, replace the chimney cap, add screens to vents, and repair any rot or torn fascia. It’s also helpful to trim tree limbs that overhang the building to eliminate easy access.

Be sure to limit food sources on and around the property. Secure bird feeders or remove them entirely and switch to garbage cans with tightly fitted lids to make the area less hospitable and attractive to nesting squirrels.

Removing Squirrels

Handling squirrel removal on your own is not advisable because squirrels are intelligent and capable of avoiding traps. More importantly, you could inadvertently cut a mother off from her young or miss the areas where squirrels have created nests.

Allowing professional pest and nuisance wildlife technicians who have the expertise and the necessary tools to remove squirrels from the attic is not only effective, but it also ensures that the process is safe and humane.

USX Pest Control’s trained technicians start the process with a free, thorough inspection of the property, either commercial or residential.

We look for signs of squirrel infestations and determine how and why they are entering the premises. From there, we create a customized plan for removal, cleanup, and exclusion.

Wildlife Exclusion for Permanent Results

Removal, often carried out by installing one-way doors to allow squirrels to exit without re-entering, is only one piece of the puzzle. Locating any entry points to seal up is essential to prevent gray, red, flying squirrels from returning.

USX Pest also offers three exclusion systems that provide a permanent barrier, keeping wildlife out of various areas of your home, business, or property. These exclusion systems can be used alone or in tandem to provide comprehensive, chemical-free protection for homes and businesses throughout Western Massachusetts:

• Upper Exclusion System: This barrier covers everything from the roof’s peak to the top of the windows on the first floor. It’s effective for keeping squirrels out of the attic, along with birds, bats, raccoons, rodents, and other nuisance wildlife.
• Lower Exclusion System: This barrier shields structures from the windows on the first floor to ground level, keeping squirrels, chipmunks, snakes, and other wildlife from getting inside.
• Trench Guard: Low-clearance areas like decks, porches, and sheds need protection too. This barrier shields these areas from burrowing wildlife like skunks, opossums, chipmunks, and more.

Schedule a Free Inspection for Prompt, Effective Squirrel Removal

USX Pest has experience and expertise in handling squirrels in the attic and other wildlife nuisances. Contact us today to get started.