Squirrels In The Attic

Grey squirrels, like most other rodents, are experts at gaining access to otherwise inaccessible areas of our homes, such as loft spaces and attics.

Able climbers, squirrels will often take advantage of fence lines, rows of conifers and even telegraph and electricity poles to leap onto your roof. Once there, its a simple case of crawling under any loose roof tile to gain entry into your warm and cosy loft.

Unfortunately, unlike squirrels, humans are less likely to venture into the attic on such regular basis. It is for this reason that a squirrel infestation can often go unnoticed for many months. The grey squirrel is an extremely territorial rodent, however, and is unlikely invite extended family and friends to join it in its new home.

Of course, the actual number of squirrels in your attic is irrelevant. You still don't want them there, not least because they have a habit of chewing on things, like electrical wiring.

The quick and easy way to get them out would be to try and spot where they're getting in and then block off the entrance with some strong screening such as chicken wire. However, you must ensure that there are no squirrels still in the attic before you apply the screening.

Their entrance to your attic is likely to be a fairly large and obvious hole – the best places to check are vent areas along your soffits. It's also important to try and gauge how many squirrels are actually living up there. It's likely that there would be a pair, so depending on the time of year, you should also check to see if there are any squirrel kittens. The squirrel breeding season occurs twice a year – in Spring and then again in late Summer.

As an additional pest control measure, you could try placing a bowl of moth balls as close as possible to your squirrels' nest area. In a confined area like an attic, moth balls can be effective in getting most squirrels to leave, although as with most things... nothing is 100 percent guaranteed.

If you don't fancy venturing into the loft yourself, then you could try using an ultrasonic noise emitter. However, be warned, this type of device has varying success rates for this kind of pest in this situation.

Your best bet, if all the above fail, is to contact a local pest control company to assess your infestation. Not only will they provide a squirrel-proofing service, they will also ensure that your current inhabitants are moved on.

Of course, the advantage of getting professional help to squirrel-proof your attic is that it will also be made completely rodent-proof so you'll be protected against rats and mice.

SDA Pest Control, "Long Acre", Bluntisham Road, Needingworth, St. Ives, Cambridgeshire
01480 465684