It’s always fun to see squirrels bouncing around your yard, gathering food and playfully chasing one another. But as cute as they can be, with their large, bright eyes and fluffy tails, squirrels can also become quite a nuisance. It’s hard to believe, but they can actually do quite a bit of damage to your home!
Typically, these rodents take shelter in trees and other outdoor locations. But due to habitat destruction or perhaps just plain stubbornness, squirrels sometimes decide to move into the attic or other areas of your home. And once inside, squirrels tend to chew through insulation, gnaw on electrical wiring, and even disrupt your heating and cooling system. And of course, animals living inside the walls or attic will use the bathroom there, too. Over time the smell will become bothersome, and it’s simply unpleasant to even think about.
So how do you convince the wildlife to return to the wild? Squirrels can be overly mischievous and stubborn at times, so take care to follow all of these steps:
- Keep tree limbs trimmed at least eight feet away from the house, so that squirrels can’t use them as a handy “on ramp” to your home
- Place screens over vents and chimney openings, and make sure your vents are secure
- Seal up all potential entry points around the outside of the house
- Discourage the neighborhood’s squirrels from all moving into your yard, by gathering, eating, or giving away all fruit that you grow
- Secure your trash if you store it outdoors, so that it doesn’t serve as a handy food source for wild critters
While they look adorable, squirrels can occasionally bite if they feel threatened. But in most cases, you will simply be unable to round them up and convince them to leave your home. If you have discovered a squirrel family hiding in your walls or attic, call us for professional pest control assistance. We will evict your unwanted guests before they can do any more damage to your home.