Follow this Guide to Prevent Squirrels from Nesting in your Home this Winter
Squirrels are cute, fuzzy creatures that play in your yard, climb trees, travel along power lines and scurry around collecting nuts and berries. They’re great as long as a squirrel doesn’t decide to make a nest in your basement, roof or attic.
A single squirrel can create a tremendous amount of damage, and if left unaddressed, an entire family of squirrels could end up inhabiting your home. Read on to learn how to prevent squirrels from nesting in your home and make sound repairs if they cause damage.
Steps to Prevent & Repair Squirrel Damage
We would like to share a few tips to prevent the cost of repairs from getting out of hand.
1. Eliminate the problem
If you find a squirrel in your home or evidence that they have been there, act right away. We recommend contacting a wildlife removal professional who will handle squirrel removal in a humane manner. This might be a little expensive, but letting a professional handle the problem will mean you get the results you need. If you seal the hole on your own you could end up trapping the squirrel inside your home, or cause it to gnaw its way in through a new entry point. Either way, you are a looking at additional damage and costs.
2. Seal holes
Once you are confident that there are no more squirrels in your home, seal up the holes in the roof and eaves. Foam insulation and caulk work well to seal smaller holes, but for larger gaps it might be necessary to use new lumber and wire mesh. Squirrels can squeeze into tiny spaces! Use a strong construction adhesive around the edges to make sure that no gaps remain.
3. Check for chewed wiring
Squirrel damage to your home can include chewed wiring. While you are in the basement or attic clearing away twigs and leaves, use a flashlight to check exposed wiring for signs of gnawing. If you see that a squirrel has chewed on wiring, contact an electrician to inspect the damage and make necessary repairs as soon as possible.
4. Clean up your attic
The leaves and twigs squirrels use to build their nests can be a fire hazard. It’s important to go into your basement or attic and remove anything a squirrel may have brought in during the time it was living in your home. If the space is currently empty, consider a complete renovation to add extra square footage to your home.
5. Remove damaged insulation
Shredded insulation may be too thick for a shop-vac. Wear long sleeves, gloves, protective eyewear and a face mask while bagging damaged insulation. Seal all bags securely before placing them out with your trash.
Take Care of Squirrel Damage Right Away
Repairing squirrel damage to homes as soon as possible is important so that smaller issues do not become larger, more expensive problems. You may be able to complete some of the items detailed above on your own, while other repairs should be completed by a certified professional.
Let’s Recap…
How to Stop Squirrels from Nesting in Your House:
1. Remove squirrels as soon as possible.
2. Seal up holes.
3. Clean up sticks, leaves and other debris.
4. Check wiring for signs of gnawing and damage.
5. Remove damaged insulation.
We hope you never have to deal with squirrel damage to your roof, attic, basement or home. However, should you encounter this problem, we are confident the tips provided above will help you make repairs. They may even ensure that squirrel damage to your home is not a recurring problem.
Ready to remodel your home for an improved space, free of squirrels and other animals? Finishing and remodeling under-used space can improve your lifestyle, and prevent creatures from outside from moving in.
To remodel your home, finish your basement or build a home addition, contact Reliable Home Improvement.
